Borane-induced radical reduction of 1-alkenyl- and 1-alkynyl-λ3-iodanes with tetrahydrofuran

Exposure of 1-alkenyl(phenyl)- and 1-alkynyl(phenyl)-λ3-iodanes to THF at room temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of trialkylborane results in smooth reduction to give 1-iodo-1-alkenes and 1-iodo-1-alkynes as major products, respectively. The key step in the reductions probably involves a single-electron transfer from α-tetrahydrofuryl radical to the λ3-iodanes, which generates the labile [9-I-2] iodanyl radicals.