Intramolecular homolytic displacements. 30. Functional decarbonylative transformations of aldehydes via homolytically induced decomposition of unsaturated peroxyacetals

Homolytically induced decompositions of unsaturated peroxyacetals, synthesized from aldehydes, gave alkoxyalkoxyl radicals that yielded alkyl radicals by rapid beta-scission. The latter radicals could react with several types of "transfer agents" to smoothly bring about homolytic decarbonylative functional group transformations of aldehydes into halides, hydrocarbons, xanthates, alkanenitriles, 2-alkyl-3-chloromaleic anhydrides, 1-phenylalk-1-ynes, and ethyl 2-alkylpropenoates.