Hydride ion transfer between triphenylmethyl cation and tetrahydrofuran, 1,3-dioxolan, and 1,3-dioxepan

Abstract

A polarographic study of the rates of hydride ion transfer from tetrahydrofuran, 1,3-dioxolan, and 1,3-dioxepan to the triphenylmethyl cation has provided data for comparing the effects of ring structure and size and of polarity of solvents on this reaction. The results are compared with those obtained by other authors with the same and with related compounds by spectroscopic methods. The reaction is insensitive to ionic strength and only slightly affected by polarity of solvent. The cyclic carboxonium ions which are the other reaction products, are too stable to be detected polarographically.