Abstract

Conjugated ketones are poorly reactive towards triphenylgermane under radical conditions, but in their excited state they can undergo single electron transfer (SET) reactions. The SET reaction, through the formation of a germanium-centred radical, initiates a competitive and divergent radical addition. In the case of carvone, the SET adduct was isolated pure from the reaction of triphenylgermyllithium with the same ketone. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.