Mechanism, hydroperoxides compounds

The best catalysts are compounds of Mo, V and W in a high-valence state. These compounds have a large positive charge and are able to accept electron pairs on vacant orbitals and to form complexes of varying stability with olefins and hydroperoxides. (Compounds of Fe, Co, Mn, Ni and Cu possess diametrically opposite properties their single function is homolysis of the peroxide bond by a one-electron mechanism with formation of free radicals.)... 

The reason for this remained obscure [124], since it had already been established [124-126] that in the free state the arylhydrazones had the hydrazone and not the enhydrazine structure. A detailed investigation into the polarographic behavior and electrode reaction mechanism for arylhydrazones [127] showed (in combination with spectroscopic data) the erroneous nature of the conclusion about tautomeric changes in ethanol - water solutions of these compounds and proved that the observed changes were caused by oxidation of the hydrazones by atmospheric oxygen to form hydroperoxide compounds with azo structures ... 

The reaction follows a free radical mechanism and gives a hydroperoxide a compound of the type ROOH Hydroperoxides tend to be unstable and shock sensitive On stand mg they form related peroxidic derivatives which are also prone to violent decomposi tion Air oxidation leads to peroxides within a few days if ethers are even briefly exposed to atmospheric oxygen For this reason one should never use old bottles of dialkyl ethers and extreme care must be exercised m their disposal... 

Suitable catalysts are /-butylphenylmethyl peracetate and phenylacetjdperoxide or redox catalyst systems consisting of an organic hydroperoxide and an oxidizable sulfoxy compound. One such redox initiator is cumene—hydroperoxide, sulfur dioxide, and a nucleophilic compound, such as water. Sulfoxy compounds are preferred because they incorporate dyeable end groups in the polymer by a chain-transfer mechanism. Common thermally activated initiators, such as BPO and AIBN, are too slow for use in this process. 

Chromium compounds decompose primary and secondary hydroperoxides to the corresponding carbonyl compounds, both homogeneously and heterogeneously (187—191). The mechanism of chromium catalyst interaction with hydroperoxides may involve generation of hexavalent chromium in the form of an alkyl chromate, which decomposes heterolyticaHy to give ketone (192). The oxidation of alcohol intermediates may also proceed through chromate ester intermediates (193). Therefore, chromium catalysis tends to increase the ketone alcohol ratio in the product (194,195). 

Bateman, Gee, Barnard, and others at the British Rubber Producers Research Association [6,7] developed a free radical chain reaction mechanism to explain the autoxidation of rubber which was later extended to other polymers and hydrocarbon compounds of technological importance [8,9]. Scheme 1 gives the main steps of the free radical chain reaction process involved in polymer oxidation and highlights the important role of hydroperoxides in the autoinitiation reaction, reaction lb and Ic. For most polymers, reaction le is rate determining and hence at normal oxygen pressures, the concentration of peroxyl radical (ROO ) is maximum and termination is favoured by reactions of ROO reactions If and Ig. 

The early work of Kennerly and Patterson [16] on catalytic decomposition of hydroperoxides by sulphur-containing compounds formed the basis of the preventive (P) mechanism that complements the chain breaking (CB) process. Preventive antioxidants (sometimes referred to as secondary antioxidants), however, interrupt the second oxidative cycle by preventing or inhibiting the generation of free radicals [17]. The most important preventive mechanism is the nonradical hydroperoxide decomposition, PD. Phosphite esters and sulphur-containing compounds, e.g., AO 13-18, Table la are the most important classes of peroxide decomposers. 

Sulphur compounds, e.g., thiopropionate esters and metal dithiolates (Table la, AO 16 and 17), decompose hydroperoxides catalytically, i.e., one antioxidant molecule destroys several hydroperoxides through the intermediacy of sulphur acids [19,20]. Scheme 6 shows a simplified scheme for the antioxidant mechanism of simple alkyl sulphides. 

The final possible mode of action for an antioxidant is as a peroxide decomposer. In the sequences that lead to photodegradation of a polymer the ready fragmentation of the hydroperoxide groups to free radicals is the important step. If this step is interfered with because the peroxide has undergone an alternative decomposition this major source of initiation is removed. The additives which act by decomposing hydroperoxide groups include compounds containing either divalent sulfur or trivalent phosphorus. The mechanism involves... 

The mechanism of secondary stabilization by antioxidants is demonstrated in Figure 15.5. TnT-nonylphenyl phosphites, derived from PCI3 and various alcohols, and thio-compounds are active as a secondary stabilizer [21], They are used to decompose peroxides into non-free-radical products, presumably by a polar mechanism. The secondary antioxidant is reacting with the hydroperoxide resulting in an oxidized antioxidant and an alcohol. The thio-compounds can react with two hydroperoxide molecules. 

Organic hydroperoxides, such as -butyl hydroperoxide, (0113)30—0-OH, likewise induce polymerization in vinyl monomers through the action of free radicals formed as primary intermediates in their decomposition. The following compounds, or classes of compounds, also are effective polymerization initiators at temperatures where they undergo slow thermal decomposition by mechanisms which are believed to involve the release of free radicals as indicated ... 

O Brien, P.J. (1969). Intracellular mechanisms for the decomposition of a lipid hydroperoxide I. Decomposition of a lipid peroxide by metals ions, haem compounds and nucleophils. Can. J. Biochem. 47, 485-492. 

Pt(II)(8-quinolinolate), Tb(III)(TTFA)3(o-phen) with TTFA = thenoyltrifluoroacetonate and o-phen = 1.10— phenanthroline, Tb(III)(TTFA) , and Eu(III)(TFFA)3 (o-phen). An eel of Re(o-phen)(CO)3C1 occured during the electrolysis of tetralin hydroperoxide in the presence of the rhenium compound. The mechanism of these electrochemical reactions is discussed. 

PGH synthase and the related enzyme lipoxygenase occupy a position at the interface of peroxidase chemistry and free radical chemistry and can clearly trigger metabolic activation by both mechanisms. The peroxidase pathway activates compounds such as diethylstilbestrol and aromatic amines whereas the free radical pathway activates polycyclic hydrocarbons (59). Both pathways require synthesis of hydroperoxide in order to trigger oxidation. 

Zinc dithiophosphates act as anti-oxidants by promoting the decomposition of hydroperoxides. The mechanism of this reaction is complicated involving hydroperoxides and peroxy radicals192,193 and is also affected by the other additives present in the lubricant oil.194 However the first step is thought to be a rapid initial reaction of the zinc dithiophosphate and hydroperoxide to give a basic compound [Zn4(/i4-0)(S2P(0R)2)6] (Equation 88 Figure 9).141... 

The traditional chain oxidation with chain propagation via the reaction RO/ + RH occurs at a sufficiently elevated temperature when chain propagation is more rapid than chain termination (see earlier discussion). The main molecular product of this reaction is hydroperoxide. When tertiary peroxyl radicals react more rapidly in the reaction R02 + R02 with formation of alkoxyl radicals than in the reaction R02 + RH, the mechanism of oxidation changes. Alkoxyl radicals are very reactive. They react with parent hydrocarbon and alcohols formed as primary products of hydrocarbon chain oxidation. As we see, alkoxyl radicals decompose with production of carbonyl compounds. The activation energy of their decomposition is higher than the reaction with hydrocarbons (see earlier discussion). As a result, heating of the system leads to conditions when the alkoxyl radical decomposition occurs more rapidly than the abstraction of the hydrogen atom from the hydrocarbon. The new chain mechanism of the hydrocarbon oxidation occurs under such conditions, with chain... 

The experiments on emulsion cumene oxidation with AIBN as initiator proved that oxidation proceeds via the chain mechanism inside hydrocarbon drops [17]. The presence of an aqueous phase and surfactants compounds does not change the rate constants of chain propagation and termination the ratio (fcp(2fct)-1/2 = const in homogeneous and emulsion oxidation (see Chapter 2). Experiments on emulsion cumene oxidation with cumyl hydroperoxide as the single initiator evidenced that the main reason for acceleration of emulsion oxidation versus homogeneous oxidation is the rapid decomposition of hydroperoxide on the surface of the hydrocarbon and water drops. Therefore, the increase in the aqueous phase and introduction of surfactants accelerate cumene oxidation. 

Oxidation of organic compounds occurs by the chain mechanism via alternating reactions of alkyl and peroxyl radicals (see Chapter 2). The accumulated hydroperoxide decomposes into radicals, thereby increasing the rate of oxidation (see Chapter 4). The oxidation of an organic compound may be retarded by one of the following three ways ... 

Sulfur compounds in combination with peroxyl radical acceptors are often used for the efficient break of hydroperoxide [14]. The mechanism of action of these inhibitory mixtures can, however, be more complex, as demonstrated with reference to a pair of 2,6-diphenylphenol and distearyl dithiopropionate [15]. The combined addition of these compounds with concentrations of 0.05% and 0.3%, respectively, results in an extended inhibitory period during the oxidation of PP (up to 3000 h at 413 K). Sulfide (for instance, (3,(3 -diphenylethyl sulfide) or its products not only break down ROOH, but also reduce the phenoxyl radical. Sulfoxide formed in the reaction of the sulfide with ROOH can react with ArO. Thus, the ability of sulfides and their products to reduce phenoxyl radicals can contribute to their synergistic effect. 

Thus, LOX-catalyzed oxidative processes are apparently effective producers of superoxide in cell-free and cellular systems. (It has also been found that the arachidonate oxidation by soybean LOX induced a high level of lucigenin-amplified CL, which was completely inhibited by SOD LG Korkina and TB Suslova, unpublished data.) It is obvious that superoxide formation by LOX systems cannot be described by the traditional mechanism (Reactions (1)-(7)). There are various possibilities of superoxide formation during the oxidation of unsaturated compounds one of them is the decomposition of hydroperoxides to alkoxyl radicals. These radicals are able to rearrange into hydroxylalkyl radicals, which form unstable peroxyl radicals, capable of producing superoxide in the reaction with dioxygen. 

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