Addition, radical alkenes

The reversal of the regiochemistry of addition is the result of the reversal of the order in which the two components add to the alkene. Radical addition leads to the formation of the more stable... 

Radical addition to electron-poor alkenes Radical addition to electron-rich alkenes... 

For some alkenes, radical addition of HBr results in the formation of one new chirality center ... 

FREE-RADICAL ADDITION OF HYDROGEN BROMIDE TO ALKENES... 

Free Radical Addition of Hydrogen Bromide to Alkenes... 

The regioselectivity of addition of HBr to alkenes under normal (electrophilic addi tion) conditions is controlled by the tendency of a proton to add to the double bond so as to produce the more stable carbocatwn Under free radical conditions the regioselec tivity IS governed by addition of a bromine atom to give the more stable alkyl radical Free radical addition of hydrogen bromide to the double bond can also be initiated photochemically either with or without added peroxides... 

Among the hydrogen halides only hydrogen bromide reacts with alkenes by both electrophilic and free radical addition mechanisms Hydrogen iodide and hydrogen chlo ride always add to alkenes by electrophilic addition and follow Markovmkov s rule Hydrogen bromide normally reacts by electrophilic addition but if peroxides are pres ent or if the reaction is initiated photochemically the free radical mechanism is followed... 

Hydrogen bromide is unique among the hydrogen halides m that it can add to alkenes either by electrophilic or free radical addition Under photochemical conditions or m the presence of peroxides free radical addition is observed and HBr adds to the double bond with a regio selectivity opposite to that of Markovmkov s rule... 

Hydrogen bromide (but not hydrogen chloride or hydrogen iodide) adds to alkynes by a free radical mechanism when peroxides are present m the reaction mixture As m the free radical addition of hydrogen bromide to alkenes (Section 6 8) a regioselectiv ity opposite to Markovmkov s rule is observed... 

Other limitations of the reaction are related to the regioselectivity of the aryl radical addition to double bond, which is mainly determined by steric and radical delocalization effects. Thus, methyl vinyl ketone gives the best results, and lower yields are observed when bulky substituents are present in the e-position of the alkene. However, the method represents complete positional selectivity because only the g-adduct radicals give reductive arylation products whereas the a-adduct radicals add to diazonium salts, because of the different nucleophilic character of the alkyl radical adduct. ... 

The initial discussion in this chapter will focus on addition reactions. The discussion is restricted to reactions that involve polar or ionic mechanisms. There are other important classes of addition reactions which are discussed elsewhere these include concerted addition reactions proceeding through nonpolar transition states (Chapter 11), radical additions (Chapter 12), photochemical additions (Chapter 13), and nucleophilic addition to electrophilic alkenes (Part B, Chi iter 1, Section 1.10). 

The regioselectivity of addition of Itydrogen bromide to alkenes can be complicated if a free-radical chain addition occurs in competition with the ionic addition. The free-radical reaction is readily initiated by peroxidic impurities or by light and leads to the anti-Markownikoff addition product. The mechanism of this reaction will be considered more fully in Chapter 12. Conditions that minimize the competing radical addition include use of high-purity alkene and solvent, exclusion of light, and addition of free-radical inhibitors. ... 

There have also been relatively few mechanistic studies of the addition of iodine. One significant feature of iodination is that it is easily reversible, even in the presence of excess alkene. The addition is stereospecifically anti, but it is not entirely clear whether a polar or a radical mechanism is involved. ... 

Table 12.8. Relative Rates of Radical Addition as a Function of Alkene Substitution"...

The stereochemistry of radical addition of hydrogen bromide to alkenes has been studied with both acyclic and cyclic alkenes. Anti addition is favored.This is contrary to what would be expected if the s[p- carbon of the radical were rapidly rotating or inverting with respect to the remainder of the molecule ... 

The stereoselectivity of the radical addition can be explained in terms of a bridged structure similar to that involved in discussion of ionic bromination of alkenes ... 

The reaction of perfluoroalkyl iodides with electron donor nucleophiles such as sodium arene and alkane sulfinates in aprotic solvents results in radical addition to alkenes initiated by an electron-transfer process The additions can be carried out at room temperature, with high yields obtained for strained olefins [4 (equations 3-5)... 

The functionality of either the haloaliphatic compound or the alkene can some times be maintained in this type of radical addition [15 16] (equations 14 and 15)... 

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