Intramolecular nucleophilic capture of radical cations by tethered hydroxy functions

A range of systems bearing hydroxy functions tethered to the molecular framework gives rise to a family of interesting radical cations, 5⁺-11⁺, upon electron transfer to photo-excited cyanoaromatics. Geraniol (5), nerol (6), citronellol (7), chrysanthemol (8), homochrysanthemol (9), trans-1-o-hydroxyphenyl-2-phenylcyclopropane (10), and endo-5-hydroxymethylnorbornene (11), generate a series of mono-, bi-, or tricyclic ethers via a series of four- to seven-membered transition states. Two of the radical cations, 5⁺ and 6⁺, undergo tandem cyclizations where 1,5- and/or 1,6-C-C cyclizations precede nucleophilic capture.