Electrochemical Degradation of Aryl Sulfonium Salts

Abstract
The products of the electrochemical degradation of several aryl sulfonium salts at an aluminum cathode were studied. In each case a phenyl radical was cleaved with the subsequent formation of benzene. Dimethylformamide was found to be an excellent solvent for these reactions. The rate of formation of benzene in the electrochemical decomposition of triphenylsulfonium trifluoroacetate in dimethylformamide has been shown to be independent of the concentration of sulfonium salt. A brief discussion of the mechanism is presented with reference to the observed current efficiency.