Investigation of the Pathway for Intramolecular Electron Transfer in Anodic [2 + 2] Cycloaddition Reactions

Abstract

Intramolecular electron transfer is expected to play a key role in anodic [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions. We synthesized 2-allyl-6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene as an olefin nucleophile to study the [2 + 2] reaction, leading to the finding that the intramolecular electron transfer that completes the formation of cyclobutane rings occurs mainly through space rather than through bonds.