Compounds unstable, fast-forming

Cyclic voltammetry is not primarily a quantitative analytical technique. The references at the end of this chapter provide additional guidance to its applications and interpretation. Its real value lies in the ability to establish the nature of the electron transfer reactions—for example, fast and reversible at one extreme, slow and irreversible at the other—and to explore the subsequent reactivity of unstable products formed by the forward sweep. Suffice it to say that such studies are valuable for learning the fate and degradation of such compounds as drugs, insecticides, herbicides, foodstuff contaminants or additives, and pollutants. 

Chemical/Physical. Chlorination of 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether to a-chloroethyl ethyl ether or P-chloroethyl ethyl ether may occur in water treatment facilities. The alpha compound is very unstable in water and decomposes almost as fast as it is formed (Summers, 1955). Although stable in NaOH solutions, in dilute acid solutions hydrolysis yields acetaldehyde and chlorohydrin (Windholz et al., 1983). At pH 7 and 25 °C, the hydrolysis half-life is 175 d (Jones and Wood, 1964). 

FIG. 2. 3 Many "unstable" organic compounds are used as explosives. These molecules contain internal oj gen, usually bonded to nitrogen, and undergo intramolecular oxidation-reduction to form stable products - carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water. The "mixing" of oxidizer and fuel is achieved at the molecular level, and fast rates of decomposition can be obtained. 

The formed benzylic alcohols were unstable in acid and reacted fast with a second model compound to form methylene linked polymers. 

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