Detection and Reactions of Radical Cations Generated by Photolysis of Aromatic Compounds with Tetranitromethane in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐Hexafluoro‐2‐propanol at Room Temperature

Extremely persistent even at room temperature are the radical cations of aromatic compounds such as dimethoxybenzene and dimethyl‐ and methoxynaphthalene, when generated photolytically in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol (HFP). They can be detected by EPR spectroscopy even in the presence of nucleophiles such as trinitromethanide ion. Their half‐lives in HFP often exceed those found in CF3COOH by a factor of more than 100!