Reactivity of iso-diiodomethane and iso-iodoform, isomers of CH2I2 and CHI3, toward the double bond of a variety of cycloalkenes

The metastable CH2I-I and CHI2-I isomers formed by UV photolysis of CH2I2, and CHI3 transfer methylene and iodomethylene groups, respectively, to a variety of cycloalkenes, leading to their cyclopropanation. More than a 100-fold increase of the reaction rate with increasing solvent polarity suggests a dipolar transition state. The fastest second-order rates observed were in CH3CN. However, CH2Cl2 will be the more appropriate reaction medium because the isomer thermal stability is greater in CH2Cl2 than in the more polar CH3CN.