A-ester radical

For the primary and secondary a-alkoxy radicals 24 and 29, the rate constants for reaction with Bu3SnH are about an order of magnitude smaller than those for reactions of the tin hydride with alkyl radicals, whereas for the secondary a-ester radical 30 and a-amide radicals 28 and 31, the tin hydride reaction rate constants are similar to those of alkyl radicals. Because the reductions in C-H BDE due to alkoxy, ester, and amide groups are comparable, the exothermicities of the H-atom transfer reactions will be similar for these types of radicals and cannot be the major factor resulting in the difference in rates. Alternatively, some polarization in the transition states for the H-atom transfer reactions would explain the kinetic results. The electron-rich tin hydride reacts more rapidly with the electron-deficient a-ester and a-amide radicals than with the electron-rich a-alkoxy radicals. 

The following a ester radical (23) is just stabilized by the resonance effect of one ester group. This effect is not as strong, so the a ester radical (23) can be observed using ESR only at < — 30 °C, and it couples to a dimer soon at room temperature [8]. 

Reactive halide (5) bearing electron-withdrawing groups, such as ester, cyano, or sulfonyl groups, at the a-position react with Fe/CuBr to form a, 3-diester (6) in good yield, through the coupling of the a-ester radical formed via SET as shown in eq. 2.3 [7]. 

This reaction comprises firstly of SH2 reaction on the iodine atom of ethyl iodoacetate by an ethyl radical, formed from triethylborane and molecular oxygen, to form a more stable Chester radical and ethyl iodide. Electrophilic addition of the a-ester radical to electron-rich aromatics (36) forms an adduct radical, and finally abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the adduct by the ethyl radical or oxidation by molecular oxygen generates ethyl arylacetate (37), as shown in eq. 5.20. Here, a nucleophilic ethyl radical does not react with electron-rich aromatics (36), while only an electrophilic a-ester radical reacts with electron-rich aromatics via SOMO-HOMO interaction. 

When the formed a-ester radicals (tt radicals) abstract a hydrogen atom from the tin reagents, one of the two sides is preferential in the transition states. 

The hydrogenolyaia of cyclopropane rings (C—C bond cleavage) has been described on p, 105. In syntheses of complex molecules reductive cleavage of alcohols, epoxides, and enol ethers of 5-keto esters are the most important examples, and some selectivity rules will be given. Primary alcohols are converted into tosylates much faster than secondary alcohols. The tosylate group is substituted by hydrogen upon treatment with LiAlH (W. Zorbach, 1961). Epoxides are also easily opened by LiAlH. The hydride ion attacks the less hindered carbon atom of the epoxide (H.B. Henhest, 1956). The reduction of sterically hindered enol ethers of 9-keto esters with lithium in ammonia leads to the a,/S-unsaturated ester and subsequently to the saturated ester in reasonable yields (R.M. Coates, 1970). Tributyltin hydride reduces halides to hydrocarbons stereoselectively in a free-radical chain reaction (L.W. Menapace, 1964) and reacts only slowly with C 0 and C—C double bonds (W.T. Brady, 1970 H.G. Kuivila, 1968). 

Under CO pressure in alcohol, the reaction of alkenes and CCI4 proceeds to give branched esters. No carbonylation of CCI4 itself to give triichloroacetate under similar conditions is observed. The ester formation is e.xplained by a free radical mechanism. The carbonylation of l-octene and CCI4 in ethanol affords ethyl 2-(2,2,2-trichloroethyl)decanoate (924) as a main product and the simple addition product 925(774]. ... 

For a growing radical chain that has monomer 1 at its radical end, its rate constant for combination with monomer 1 is designated and with monomer 2, Similady, for a chain with monomer 2 at its growing end, the rate constant for combination with monomer 2 is / 22 with monomer 1, The reactivity ratios may be calculated from Price-Alfrey and e values, which are given in Table 8 for the more important acryUc esters (87). The sequence distributions of numerous acryUc copolymers have been determined experimentally utilizing nmr techniques (88,89). Several review articles discuss copolymerization (84,85). 

Bulk Polymerization. The bulk polymerization of acryUc monomers is characterized by a rapid acceleration in the rate and the formation of a cross-linked insoluble network polymer at low conversion (90,91). Such network polymers are thought to form by a chain-transfer mechanism involving abstraction of the hydrogen alpha to the ester carbonyl in a polymer chain followed by growth of a branch radical. Ultimately, two of these branch radicals combine (91). Commercially, the bulk polymerization of acryUc monomers is of limited importance. 

The cyanoacryhc esters are prepared via the Knoevenagel condensation reaction (5), in which the corresponding alkyl cyanoacetate reacts with formaldehyde in the presence of a basic catalyst to form a low molecular weight polymer. The polymer slurry is acidified and the water is removed. Subsequendy, the polymer is cracked and redistilled at a high temperature onto a suitable stabilizer combination to prevent premature repolymerization. Strong protonic or Lewis acids are normally used in combination with small amounts of a free-radical stabilizer. 

Acylation. Aliphatic amine oxides react with acylating agents such as acetic anhydride and acetyl chloride to form either A[,A/-diaLkylamides and aldehyde (34), the Polonovski reaction, or an ester, depending upon the polarity of the solvent used (35,36). Along with a polar mechanism (37), a metal-complex-induced mechanism involving a free-radical intermediate has been proposed. 

The reaction proceeds in stages, first producing a carbonochloridic ester (chloroformate), and then a carbonic acid diester (carbonate). When a different alcohol is used for the second stage, a mixed radical or unsymmetrical carbonate is produced. 

Treatment of 2-methylthiirane with t-butyl hydroperoxide at 150 °C in a sealed vessel gave very low yields of allyl disulfide, 2-propenethiol and thioacetone. The allyl derivatives may be derived from abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the methyl group followed by ring opening to the allylthio radical. Percarbonate derivatives of 2-hydroxymethylthiirane decompose via a free radical pathway to tar. Acrylate esters of 2-hydroxymethylthiirane undergo free radical polymerization through the double bond. 

Ethylmalonic Acid.—Like acetoacetic ester (see p. 83), diethylmalonate contains the gioup CO.CHj.CO. By the action of sodium or sodium alroholate, the hydrogen atoms of the methylene group are successively replaceable by sodium. The sodium atoms are in turn replaceable by alkyl or acyl groups. Thus, in the present preparation, ethyl malonic ester is obtained by the action of ethyl iodide on the monosodium compound. If this substance be treated with a second molecule of sodium alcoholate and a second molecule of alkyl iodide, a second radical would be in roduced, and a compound formed of the general formula... 

The furfuryl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid polymerize via a free-radical mechanism without apparent retardation problems arising from the presence of the furan ring. Early reports on these systems described hard insoluble polymers formed in bulk polymerizations and the cross-linking ability of as little as 2% of furfuryl acrylate in the solution polymerization of methylacrylate121. ... 

It should be pointed out that not all benzoin derivatives (75) are suitable for use as photoinitialors. Benzoin esters (75, R=aeyl) undergo a side reaction leading to furan derivatives. Aryl ethers (75, R=aryl) undergo (3-seission to give a phenoxy radical (an inhibitor) in competition with a-scission (Scheme 3.54). Benzoin derivatives with a-hydrogens (75 R-Il) are readily autoxidized and consequently can have poor shelf lives. 

The high temperature polymerization of acrylates with the backbiting-fragmentation process has been used to synthesize macromonomers based on acrylate esters. 277,312 Interestingly, fragmentation shows a strong preference for giving the polymeric macromonomer 64 and a small radical 65. 276.277 An explanation for this specificity has yet to be proposed. 

Radical induced grafting may be carried out in solution, in the melt phase,292 29 or as a solid state process.296 This section will focus on melt phase grafting to polyolefin substrates but many of the considerations are generic. The direct grafting of monomers onto polymers, in particular polyolefins, in the melt phase by reactive extrusion has been widely studied. Most recently, the subject has been reviewed by Moad1 9 and by Russell.292 More details on reactive extrusion as a technique can be found in volumes edited by Xanthos," A1 Malaika and Baker et a 21 7 The process most often involves combining a frcc-radical initiator (most commonly a peroxide) and a monomer or macromonomer with the polyolefin as they are conveyed through the extruder. Monomers commonly used in this context include MAII (Section 7.6.4.1), maleimidc derivatives and malcate esters (Section 7.6.4.2), (meth)acrylic acid and (meth)acrylate esters (Section 7.6.43), S, AMS and derivatives (Section 7.6.4.4), vinylsilancs (Section 7.6.4.5) and vinyl oxazolines (Section 7.6.4.6). 

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