Thermal and photochemical solvolysis of (E)- and (Z)-2-phenyl-1-propenyl(phenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborate: benzenium and primary vinylic cation intermediates.

The thermal and photochemical solvolysis of the two stereoisomeric 2-phenyl-1-propenyl(phenyl)iodonium tetrafluoroborates has been investigated in alcoholic solvents of varying nucleophilicity. The product profiles and rates of product formation in the thermal reaction are all compatible with a mechanism involving cleavage of the vinylic C-I bond assisted by the group in the trans position (methyl or phenyl), always leading to rearranged products. Depending on the nucleophilicity of the solvent, the primarily formed cations may or may not further rearrange to more stable isomers. The less reactive Z compound also yields some unrearranged vinyl ether product in the more nucleophilic solvents via an in-plane S(N)2 mechanism. The mechanism of the photolysis involves direct, unassisted cleavage of the vinylic, and aromatic, C-I bond in an S(N)1 mechanism. This produces a primary vinyl cation, which is partially trapped prior to rearrangement in methanol. The unrearranged vinyl ethers are mainly formed with retention of configuration via a lambda3-iodonium/solvent complex in an S(N)i mechanism. Thermal and photochemical solvolyses of iodonium salts are complementary techniques for the generation of different cation intermediates from the same substrate.