Reaction of aromatic diazonium salts with carrier-free radioiodine and astatine, evidence for complex formation

Systematic studies of the astatodiazoniation reaction and a comparison with iododediazoniation under comparable conditions are reported. The yields for all astatohalobenzenes and -toluenes were nearly constant and unaffected by the nature of the diazonium compound, its isomeric form, and the number of isomers used at the same time. Only astatofluorobenzenes were obtained at higher yields. An electron-transfer mechanism is proposed for dediazoniation at these low halide concentration levels. At sufficient thermal excitation levels the electron transfer leads to the dissociation of nitrogen, while the phenyl and halogen radicals recombine. The isomer distribution found for some of the derivatives from dediazoniation may also be due to steric effects