Free-radical additions

Free radical addition is a two stage process involving an addition step followed by an atom transfer step. 

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

Free Radical Addition of Hydrogen Bromide to Alkenes... 

FIGURE 6 7 Initiation and propagation steps in the free radical addition of hydrogen bromide to 1 butene... 

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... 

Interest in synthetic naphthenic acid has grown as the supply of natural product has fluctuated. Oxidation of naphthene-based hydrocarbons has been studied extensively (35—37), but no commercially viable processes are known. Extensive purification schemes must be employed to maximize naphthene content in the feedstock and remove hydroxy acids and nonacidic by-products from the oxidation product. Free-radical addition of carboxylic acids to olefins (38,39) and addition of unsaturated fatty acids to cycloparaffins (40) have also been studied but have not been commercialized. 

The general reactivity of higher a-olefins is similar to that observed for the lower olefins. However, heavier a-olefins have low solubihty in polar solvents such as water consequentiy, in reaction systems requiting the addition of polar reagents, apparent reactivity and degree of conversion maybe adversely affected. Reactions of a-olefins typically involve the carbon—carbon double bond and can be grouped into two classes (/) electrophilic or free-radical additions and (2) substitution reactions. 

Free-Radical Addition. A different outcome is expected in free-radical addition. The reaction of an a-olefin with a typical free radical affords the most stable intermediate free radical. This species, in turn, reacts further to form the final product, resulting in the anti-Markownikov mode of addition. 

Bromination. 1-Bromoalkanes are produced commercially by the anti-Markovnikow free-radical addition of HBr to a-olefins. These are further reacted with dimethyl amine to produce alkyldimethyl amines, which ultimately are converted to amine products for household cleaning and personal care. 

Commercial phosphine derivatives are produced either by the acid-cataly2ed addition of phosphine to an aldehyde or by free-radical addition to olefins, particulady a-olefins. The reactions usually take place in an autoclave under moderate pressures (<4 MPa (580 psi)) and at temperatures between 60 and 100°C. 

Free-Radical Addition. In free-radical addition polymerisation, the propagating species is a free radical. The free radicals, R-, ate most commonly generated by the thermal decomposition of a peroxide or aso initiator, 1 (see Initiators, free-RADICAl) ... 

The presence of free radicals can invert this rule, to form anti-Markovnikov products. Free-radical addition in this fashion produces a radical on the central carbon, C-2, which is more stable than the allyl radical. This carbon can then experience further addition. For example, acid-catalyzed addition of... 

Proliferous Polymerization. Eady attempts to polymerize VP anionicaHy resulted in proliferous or "popcorn" polymerization (48). This was found to be a special form of free-radical addition polymerization, and not an example of anionic polymerization, as originally thought. VP contains a relatively acidic proton alpha to the pyrroHdinone carbonyl. In the presence of strong base such as sodium hydroxide, VP forms cross-linkers in situ probably by the following mechanism ... 

The electron-rich carbon—carbon double bond reacts with reagents that are deficient in electrons, eg, with electrophilic reagents in electrophilic addition (6,7), free radicals in free-radical addition (8,9), and under acidic conditions with another butylene (cation) in dimerization. 

Free-Radical Addition. Free-radical attack on a butylene occurs so that the most stable radical carbon stmcture forms. Thus, in peroxide-catalyzed addition of hydrogen haUdes, the addition is anti-Markovnikov. 

This reaction proceeds through a chain mechanism. Free-radical additions to 1-butene, as in the case of HBr, RSH, and H2S to other olefins (19—21), can be expected to yield terminally substituted derivatives. Some polymerization reactions are also free-radical reactions. 

Protonated /V-chloroalkyl amines under the influence of heat or uv light rearrange to piperidines or pyrroHdines (Hofmann-Lriffler reaction) (88). The free-radical addition of alkyl and dialkyl-/V-chloramines to olefins and acetylenes yields P-chloroalkji-, P-chloroalkenyl-, and 8-chloroalkenylamines (89). Various N-hiomo- and N-chloropolyfluoroaLkylarnines have been synthesized whose addition products to olefinic double bonds can be photolyzed to fluoroazaalkenes (90). 

Carbamates. Lower alkyl A/-halo- and W,W-dihalocarbamates are distillable Hquids (70,112). A/-Halo-A/-metallocarbamates are crystalline hygroscopic soHds. A/-Chloro-A/-sodiourethane [17510-52-0] C2H OCONQNa, does not decompose on heating to 250°C (113), but violent decompositions have occurred at room temperature (114). A/-Halocarbamates react with a variety of organic substrates, eg, the free-radical addition of W-chlorourethane [16844-21 -6] C2H OCONHCl, and A,A-dichlorourethane [15698-16-5], C2H OCONCl2, to olefins provides a convenient route to... 

Elementary Kinetics of Free-radical Addition Polymerisation... 

Elementary kinetics of free-radical addition polymerisation 29... 

Free-Radical Addition Reactions 12.4.1. Addition of Hydrogen Halides... 

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