Results pertaining to the direct and indirect electrochemistry of
5,7-di-tert-butylspiro[2.5]octa-4,7-dien-6-one (1a),
1-methyl-5,7-di-tert-butylspiro[2.5]octa-4,7-dien-6-one
(1b), and 1,1,-dimethyl-5,7-di-tert-butylspiro[2.5]octa-4,7-dien-6-one (1c) are
reported. Product analyses reveal that reduction of all these
substrates
leads to cyclopropane ring-opened products; ring opening occurs with
modest selectivity leading to the more
substituted (stable) distonic radical anion. The direct
electrochemistry of these compounds is characterized
by rate limiting electron transfer (with α ≈ 0.5), suggesting that
while ring opening is extremely rapid, the
radical anions do have a discrete lifetime (i.e., electron
transfer and ring opening are not concerted).
Utilizing
homogeneous redox catalysis, rate constants for electron transfer
between 1a, 1b, and 1c and a series of
aromatic
radical anions were measured; reduction potentials and reorganization
energies were derived from these rate
constants by using Marcus theory.