Generation of Organic Cations from Group 14 Organometallic Compounds via Photoinduced Electron Transfer in the Presence of Cu(II) Salt

Abstract
Irradiations of acetonitrile-alcohol (3 : 1) solutions of arylmethyl silanes, germane, or stannanes in the presence of Cu(BF4)2 gave alkyl arylmethyl ethers in good yields via arylmethyl cations. The efficiency of this photoreaction increased in the order of Si- < Ge- < Sn-compounds.