Chirality probe, primary vinyl cation

Scheme 3. Chirality probe approach to search for primary vinyl cation.

Although formation of primary vinyl cation was disproved by the chirality probe approach, a vinyl cationic intermediate can be generated from a primary substrate via participation if a more stable cation could result. Unsymmetrically substituted 2,2-dialkylvinyl iodonium salt 24 gave mainly rearranged products on solvolysis.15 The products involve those of the 1,2-shift of either of the alkyl groups on the p position (Scheme 4). Those formed from migration of the alkyl... 

Comparisons of product distributions in thermal and photochemical solvolyses show that the primary vinyl cation is not involved in thermolysis but is formed photochemically. The chirality probe approach using optically active 4-methylcyclohexylidenmethyl(aryl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate 19 was applied to the photosolvolysis.24 The rearranged product 4-methylcycloheptanone retained some optical activity, but the enantiomeric product in slight excess has a different structure depending on the iodoarene leaving group Arl of the substrate. The results indicate that the primary vinyl cation involved is not in a free, dissociated achiral form. 

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