Electrochemical oxidation of benzyl germatranes

Electrochemical data and DFT B3LYP/6-311G calculations suggest that the cation radicals obtained by anodic oxidation of bromobenzyl germatranes retain the endo-configuration; their fast deprotonation allows anodic substitution at the α-position of germatranes. Oxidation Ep are well described by the additive inductive model including mesomeric interactions.