2- alkoxyl-hydroxyalkyl radical

Considering the type of chemistry they undergo, the primary radicals from regular carbohydrates may be divided into several groups (that may partially overlap), e.g., 1,2-diol-type radicals such as 1-4, 2-alkoxyl-hydroxyalkyl radicals such as 4 and 6, and ether-type radicals such as 1 and 5. 

In reaction 2 an alkoxyl radical is formed. The alkoxyl radicals are rather reactive and react with the alcohols by hydrogen abstraction to give the alcohol and an a-hydroxyalkyl radical (reaction 8). For example, the rate constant for the reaction of the methoxyl radical with methanol (138,139) is 5 x 10 ... 

Table 2 Rate coefficients for the decomposition and isomerization of alkoxyl radicals. The first pathway ( 2b = dec) yields aldehyde and an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical, the second pathway = A isom) yields a hydroxyalkyl radical.

The Thd C(3 ) radical is an a-hydroxyalkyl-P-alkoxyl radical that can rearrange and yields after reduction 2>4-didcoxy-pcnlos-3-ulosc, whereby Thy is released (Dizdaroglu et al. 1976) [reactions (277) and (278) for the yield, see Table 10.27]. 

---