The radical cation from hexamethyl(Dewar benzene): derived from a substitution product of hexamethylbenzene?

Abstract

Photolysis of thallium(III) trifluoroacetate and pentamethylbenzyl acetate or pentamethylbenzyl alcohol in neat trifluoroacetic acid at –11 °C produces a well-resolved 13 × 8-line EPR spectrum of what probably originates from pentamethylbenzyl trifluoroacetate radical cation; the same spectrum could be generated by similar treatment of hexamethyl(Dewar benzene).