4‐Substituted <i>tert</i>‐Butyl Phenylazocarboxylates—Synthetic Equivalents for the <i>para</i>‐Phenyl Radical Cation

Abstract

First electrophile, then radical: 4-Substituted tert-butyl phenylazocarboxylates 1 are versatile synthetic equivalents of the para-phenyl radical cation 2. The tert-butyloxycarbonylazo group enables nucleophilic substitutions to proceed under mild conditions and can later be employed for the generation of aryl radicals.