ELECTRON-TRANSFER IN THE REACTIONS OF ARYLLITHIUM COMPOUNDS WITH CARBON-MONOXIDE

The reactions of aryllithium (Ar = phenyl, 1-naphthyl, xylyl, mesityl) with CO have been studied under several reaction conditions. A C-13 NMR method developed to determine radicals at preparative concentrations revealed the presence of radical anions in the reaction mixtures in concentrations comparable to those of the reagents. ESR spectroscopic studies, the effect of radical inhibitors, kinetic measurements and isolation of derivatives of some intermediates suggest a mechanism that involves electron transfer as the first and rate determining step of the reaction.