Chain reaction propagation

As the quinone stabilizer is consumed, the peroxy radicals initiate the addition chain propagation reactions through the formation of styryl radicals. In dilute solutions, the reaction between styrene and fumarate ester foUows an alternating sequence. However, in concentrated resin solutions, the alternating addition reaction is impeded at the onset of the physical gel. The Hquid resin forms an intractable gel when only 2% of the fumarate unsaturation is cross-linked with styrene. The gel is initiated through small micelles (12) that form the nuclei for the expansion of the cross-linked network. 

In conclusion, furan and 2-alkylfurans can be polymerized only by acidic initiators or by y-radiation because the other standard methods of polyaddition fail to induce a chain-propagation reaction. 

The experiments with 2-(3-butenyloxy)benzenediazonium ions (10.55, Z = 0, n = 2, R=H) and benzenethiolate showed a significant shift of the product ratio in favor of the uncyclized product 10.57. They also indicated that the covalent adduct Ar — N2 — SC6H5 is formed as an intermediate, which then undergoes homolytic dissociation to produce the aryl radical (Scheme 10-83). Following the bimolecular addition of the aryl radical to a thiolate ion (Scheme 10-84), the chain propagation reaction (Scheme 10-85) yielding the arylphenylsulfide is in competition with an alternative route leading to the uncyclized product 10.57. 

Radical addition to conjugated systems is an important part of chain propagation reactions. The rate constants for addition of cyclohexyl radical to conjugated amides have been measured, and shown to be faster than addition to styrene. In additions to RCH=C(CN)2 systems, where the R group has a chiral center, the Felkin-Ahn rule (p. 148) is followed and the reaction proceeds with high selectivity. Addition of some radicals, such as (McsSijaSi-, is reversible and this can lead to poor selectivity or isomerization. ... 

If the chains are long, the composition of the copolymer and the arrangement oi units along the chain are determined almost entirely by the relative rates of the various chain propagation reactions. On the other hand, the rate of polymerization depends not only on the rates of these propagation steps but also on the rates of the termination reactions. Copolymer composition has received far more attention than has the rate of copolymerization. The present section will be confined to consideration of the composition of copolymers formed by a free radical mechanism. 

The photo-oxidation of a solid branched alkane can be expected to proceed in localized domains, new oxidation chains being generated from the photo-cleavage of -00H products, and chain propagation (reactions 2 and 3) being concentrated close to each initial site in a given domain to produce a zone of high -00H concentration. Thus the distribution of an additive in and around these domains is of special importance. 

The chain carriers need not all react with reactant molecules in chain propagation reactions. Some will disappear in termination re-... 

Quenching by adventitious oxygen occurs to a small extent only, as most of the oxygen is consumed in the chain-propagation reaction. 

The introduction of hydroxylamine into oxidizing hydrocarbon adds the new cycle of chain propagation reactions to the traditional R —> R02 —> R cycle. This scheme is similar to that of hydrocarbon oxidation with the addition of another hydroperoxide (see earlier). 

The polar carbonyl group interacts with the polar transition state of the reaction between the peroxyl radical and the C—H bond of the aldehyde. This interaction lowers the activation energy of this reaction (see Section 8.1.4). As a result, all the three factors, viz., the strong RC(0)00—H bond formed, the weak C—H bond of the oxidized aldehyde, and the polar interaction in the transition state, contribute to lowering the activation energy of the reaction RC(0)00 + RCH(O) and increasing the rate constant of the chain propagation reaction (see Section 8.1.4). 

The important role of reaction enthalpy in the free radical abstraction reactions is well known and was discussed in Chapters 6 and 7. The BDE of the O—H bonds of alkyl hydroperoxides depends slightly on the structure of the alkyl radical D0 H = 365.5 kJ mol 1 for all primary and secondary hydroperoxides and P0—h = 358.6 kJ mol 1 for tertiary hydroperoxides (see Chapter 2). Therefore, the enthalpy of the reaction RjOO + RjH depends on the BDE of the attacked C—H bond of the hydrocarbon. But a different situation is encountered during oxidation and co-oxidation of aldehydes. As proved earlier, the BDE of peracids formed from acylperoxyl radicals is much higher than the BDE of the O—H bond of alkyl hydroperoxides and depends on the structure of the acyl substituent. Therefore, the BDEs of both the attacked C—H and O—H of the formed peracid are important factors that influence the chain propagation reaction. This is demonstrated in Table 8.9 where the calculated values of the enthalpy of the reaction RjCV + RjH for different RjHs including aldehydes and different peroxyl radicals are presented. One can see that the value A//( R02 + RH) is much lower in the reactions of the same compound with acylperoxyl radicals. 

As mentioned above, the parameters of co-oxidation can be used for the estimation of the BDE of the O—H bond formed in the chain propagation reaction. The ratio... 

As is evident from these data, mainly hydroxyl and carbonyl groups are formed in the chain propagation reactions. 

Of these reactions, the reaction of the peroxyl radical with phosphite is the slowest. The rate constant of this reaction ranges from 102 to 103 L mol 1 s 1 which is two to three orders of magnitude lower than the rate constant of similar reactions with phenols and aromatic amines. Namely, this reaction limits chain propagation in the oxidation of phosphites. Therefore, the chain oxidation of trialkyl phosphites involves chain propagation reactions with the participation of both peroxyl and phosphoranylperoxyl radicals ... 

As a simple computational model for the catalysis of alkene polymerization, let us consider some aspects of the general chain-propagation reaction... 

Now consider that a particular straight-chain propagating reaction ensues, that the initial chain particle concentration is simply 1, and that lmol or 1019 molecules/cm3 exist in the system. Thus all the molecules will be consumed in a straight-chain propagation mechanism in a time given by... 

Ruhho, H., Parthasarathy, S., Barnes, S., Kirk, M., Kalyanaraman, B., and Freeman, B. A., 1995, Nitric oxide inhibition of hpoxygenase-dependent hposome and low-density hpoprotein oxidation termination of radical chain propagation reactions and formation of nitrogen-containing oxidized hpid derivatives, Arclr. Biochem. Biophys. 324 15-25. 

What reactant besides the monomer is present in cationic chain propagation reactions ... 

Synergistic behavior by two antioxidants is not confined to compounds which inhibit by entirely different mechanisms—for example, two chain-breaking phenolic antioxidants may synergize one another. This homosynergism is caused by the suppression of the unfavorable chain propagation reactions of one phenoxy radical by a hydrogen atom transfer from the second phenol. 

The chief objection to such a mechanism is the shortness of the chains involved in the reaction, as determined experimentally. (1-2.) This, however, does not make this process impossible, but shows that, if it be the correct one, the chain breaking reactions must take place with greater rapidity than the chain propagating reactions. Be that as it may, these results give room for considerable conjecture on how the hydrogen chlorine chains are actually broken by oxygen. We must realize that several reactions may take place, for example... 

ROOH] [ROOH] + kd/(kpl + kp2) where kpi and kp2 are the rate constants of the following chain propagation reactions ... 

Chain propagation in an oxidized aldehyde is limited by the reaction of the acylperoxyl radical with the aldehyde. The dissociation energy of the —H bond of the formed peracid is sufficiently higher than that of the alkyl hydroperoxide. For example, in hydroperoxide PhMeCHOOH, Z)0 H = 365.5 kJ mol-1 and in benzoic peracid PhC(0)00H, Z>o H = 403.9 kJ mol-1 [1]. Therefore, acylperoxyl radicals are more active in chain propagation reactions compared to alkylperoxyl radicals. 

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