Hypoiodite reaction: the decomposition of oxalic acid half-esters

Abstract

Alkyl half-esters of oxalic acid photolysed with mercury(II) oxide–iodine reagent gave mainly dialkyl oxalates. 1-Apocamphyl hydrogen oxalate gave, in addition to the diester, 1-apocamphyl iodide. 9-Triptycyl hydrogen oxalate gave 9-triptycyl iodoformate, which was thermally decomposed to 9-iodotriptycene and with silver tetrafluoroborate gave 9-triptycyl fluoroformate. We suggest that diester formation occurs by coupling of an intermediate alkoxycarbonyl radical.