Alkyl radical-anions

The same authors again concerned themselves [8 Id] with the question of the existence of alkyl radical anions as discrete intermediates along the reaction coordinate and whether the reaction of alkyl halides with magnesium proceeds by pathway 1 or 2 (see Fig. 1). In contrast to the view of Volger et al. [80], who referred to pathway 2 as an electron-transfer process [Eq. (6)] as originally described, Whitesides et al. viewed pathway 2, if it has an existence, as a halogen abstraction [Eq. (7)]. 

Having gamed one electron the alkyl halide is now negatively chaiged and has an odd numbei of elections It is an anion radical The extra electron occupies an antibondmg oibital This anion radical fragments to an alkyl radical and a halide anion... 

Anion radical Alkyl radical Halide anion... 

Single-electron transfer from a borate anion particle to the excited polymethine cation generates a dye radical and an aLkylphenylbotanyl radical. The aLkylphenylbotanyl radical fragments to form an active alkyl radical. It is the alkyl radical particles that initiate the polymerization reactions (101). 

Scheme 12.7. Carbon Alkylation via Nitroalkane Radical Anions Generated by...

Another way to prepare fluorinated sulfides is the photochemical alkylation of sulfides or disulfides by perfluoroalkyl iodides [69, 70, 71] (equations 62-64). Reaction of trifluoromethyl bromide with alkyl or aryl disulfides in the presence of a sulfur dioxide radical anion precursor, such as sodium hydroxymethanesulfi-nate, affords trifluoromethyl sulfides [72] (equation 65). 

The anodic oxidation of the carboxylate anion 1 of a carboxylate salt to yield an alkane 3 is known as the Kolbe electrolytic synthesis By decarboxylation alkyl radicals 2 are formed, which subsequently can dimerize to an alkane. The initial step is the transfer of an electron from the carboxylate anion 1 to the anode. The carboxyl radical species 4 thus formed decomposes by loss of carbon dioxide. The resulting alkyl radical 2 dimerizes to give the alkane 3 " ... 

Between sulfur dioxide radical anions, dithionite, and sulfoxylate/sulfite there exists a pH-dependent equilibrium465 (equation 86). Therefore, dithionite has been used as a source of sulfoxylate in order to prepare sulfinate and hence sulfones. Alkylation with triethyl oxonium fluoroborate leads to ethyl ethanesulfinate, alkyl iodides lead to symmetrical sulfones466 (equation 87). 

A proof for the formation of alkyl radicals was found by their addition to the aci-nitromethane anion (CH2=N02 ) and by their reaction with p-benzoquinone to give the optically active nitroalkane radical-anion and the semiquinone radicals, respectively. In the case of di-r-butyl sulfoxide the f-butyl radical was observed directly by its absorption spectra. 

The cleavage of alkyl aryl sulfones by sodium amalgam and alcohols65 probably proceeds also through the intermediacy of a radical anion, followed by splitting to the arylsulfinate anion and an alkyl radical. Both the sulfinate anion and the disproportionation products of the radical have been observed. 

The photo-Kolbe reaction is the decarboxylation of carboxylic acids at tow voltage under irradiation at semiconductor anodes (TiO ), that are partially doped with metals, e.g. platinum [343, 344]. On semiconductor powders the dominant product is a hydrocarbon by substitution of the carboxylate group for hydrogen (Eq. 41), whereas on an n-TiOj single crystal in the oxidation of acetic acid the formation of ethane besides methane could be observed [345, 346]. Dependent on the kind of semiconductor, the adsorbed metal, and the pH of the solution the extent of alkyl coupling versus reduction to the hydrocarbon can be controlled to some extent [346]. The intermediacy of alkyl radicals has been demonstrated by ESR-spectroscopy [347], that of the alkyl anion by deuterium incorporation [344]. With vicinal diacids the mono- or bisdecarboxylation can be controlled by the light flux [348]. Adipic acid yielded butane [349] with levulinic acid the products of decarboxylation, methyl ethyl-... 

In a reaction similar to 12-50, azoxy compounds can be prepared by the condensation of a nitroso compound with a hydroxylamine. The position of the oxygen in the final product is determined by the nature of the R groups, not by which R groups came from which starting compound. Both R and R can be alkyl or aryl, but when two different aryl groups are involved, mixtures of azoxy compounds (ArNONAr, ArNONAr, and Ar NONAr ) are obtained and the unsymmetrical product (ArNONAr ) is likely to be formed in the smallest amount. This behavior is probably caused by an equilibration between the starting compounds prior to the actual reaction (ArNO -I- Ar NHOH Ar NO - - ArNHOH). The mechanism has been investigated in the presence of base. Under these conditions both reactants are converted to radical anions, which couple ... 

Another type of dimer is that which consists of two radical molecules stacked on each other in a n-n interaction. Such dimers have been observed e.g., with 9-ethylphenazyl radical, tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine cation radical (167), 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane radical anion (168), methylviologen cation radical (169), and l-alkyl-4-carbomethoxypyridinyl radicals (170). Attempts have been reported (170, 171) to interpret the electronic spectra of dimers of this kind by MO calculations. 

The reduced alkyl complexes are reoxidized by O2 to the iron(lll) alkyls. The corresponding diamagnetic phthalocyanine iron(ll) alkyl complexes, rFe(Pc)R), were prepared by two-electron reduction of Fe(Pc) by LiAIFl4 to give [Fe(Pc) (actually the Fe(I) phthalocyanine radical anion) followed by reaction with Mel, Etl or i-PrBr. The methyl compound, [Fe(Pc)CHi] was characterized by X-ray crystallography. ... 

The electrophilic character of sulfur dioxide does not only enable addition to reactive nucleophiles, but also to electrons forming sulfur dioxide radical anions which possess the requirements of a captodative" stabilization (equation 83). This electron transfer occurs electrochemically or chemically under Leuckart-Wallach conditions (formic acid/tertiary amine - , by reduction of sulfur dioxide with l-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide or with Rongalite The radical anion behaves as an efficient nucleophile and affords the generation of sulfones with alkyl halides " and Michael-acceptor olefins (equations 84 and 85). 

The structure of the products is determined by the site of protonation of the radical anion intermediate formed after the first electron transfer step. In general, ERG substituents favor protonation at the ortho position, whereas EWGs favor protonation at the para position.215 Addition of a second electron gives a pentadienyl anion, which is protonated at the center carbon. As a result, 2,5-dihydro products are formed with alkyl or alkoxy substituents and 1,4-products are formed from EWG substituents. The preference for protonation of the central carbon of the pentadienyl anion is believed to be the result of the greater 1,2 and 4,5 bond order and a higher concentration of negative charge at C(3).216 The reduction of methoxybenzenes is of importance in the synthesis of cyclohexenones via hydrolysis of the intermediate enol ethers. 

The radiolytic technique has also been applied to the reaction of alkyl radicals R with Ni1 porphyrins anions.279 In analogy with the postulated reaction of NiIF43o to form CH3NiinF430, short lived R-Ni111 products have been detected. 

Alkyl mercury halides participate in a photo-stimulated radical chain reaction of the anion of nitroalkanes (see Eq. 5.38) in which a 275-W sun lamp is used.56 c Primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl radicals generated from alkyl mercury halides react with the anion of nitroalkanes to form new C-C bonds. 

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