Phenyl Silicates with Substituted Catecholate Ligands: Synthesis, Structural Studies and Reactivity

While the generation of aryl radicals by photoredox catalysis under reductive conditions is well documented, it has remained challenging an oxidative pathway. Because easy photo-oxidation alkyl bis-catecholato silicates, a general study phenyl silicates bearing substituted catecholate ligands been achieved. The newly synthesized have fully characterized, and their reactivity explored. It was found that, thanks to substitution moiety, notably with 4-cyanocatecholato ligand, radical could be generated trapped. Computational studies provided rationale for these findings.