A Kinetic Evaluation of Carbon-Hydrogen, Carbon-Carbon, and Carbon-Silicon Bond Activation in Benzylic Radical Cations

A detailed study of the competition between C-C, C-H, and C-Si bond fragmentation in a series of 4-methoxy-α-substituted toluene radical cations 4-MeOC6H4CH2X, involving both product studies and kinetic anal., is presented. C-C bond fragmentation occurs with several radical cations in acetonitrile.