Chemical and transient spectroscopic evidence for C2–C3 cleavage of 2,3-diaryloxetane radical cations

Electron transfer cycloreversion of the methoxy substituted oxetane 1b results in the production of trans-anethole and benzaldehyde through C2–C3 bond cleavage. trans-Anethole radical cation has been detected as transient intermediate by laser flash photolysis.