Regioselectivity in the reductive bond cleavage of diarylalkylsulfonium salts: variation with driving force and structure of sulfuranyl radical intermediates.

This investigation was stimulated by reports that one-electron reductions of monoaryldialkylsulfonium salts never give aryl bond cleavage whereas reductions of diarylmonoalkylsulfonium salts preferentially give aryl bond cleavage. We studied the product ratios from the reductive cleavage of di-4-tolylethylsulfonium and di-4-tolyl-2-phenylethylsulfonium salts by a variety of one-electron reducing agents ranging in potential from -0.77 to +2.