2-methyl-2-butanol radical cation

Electrostatic potential map for 2-methyl-2-butanol radical cation shows most positively-charged regions (in blue) and less positively-charged regions (in red). 

Spin density for 2-methyl-2-butanol radical cation shows location of unpaired electron. 

In a preliminary study (284) on the photolysis of the t-butyl methyl ether-02 CT-complex some products have been identified and their quantum yields determined. They are peroxidic compounds (4i = 0.15), t-butyl formate (cj) = 0.21), t-butanol ((j> = 0.035), 2-methoxy-2-methylpropionaldehyde ( = 0.03), formaldehyde ((j> = 0.04), water (iji = 0.3), and carbon dioxide (cj) = 0.007). It was noted (284) that deprotonation of the t-butyl methyl ether radical cation, although it largely occurs at the methyl group next to the oxygen (product, t-butyl formate), is also possible at the 8-posltlon (product, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropionaldehyde). 

One suitable scavenging system is the use of 0.5 mM methyl viologen (MV ) in the presence of frrf-butanol as OH radical scavenger, under neutral pH condition. Another is the use of 0.5 mM 4,4 -bipyridyl (4,4 -bpy) together with frrf-butanol in alkaline solution (pH > 11). In both cases, ideally only e reacts or 4,4 -bpy to form radical cation MV or radical 4,4 -bpyH, with fairly strong absorption at 605 and -540 nm, respectively. The temperature-dependent G(e/) from 25 to 400°C at a fixed pressure of 25 MPa is shown in Fig. 3(a). G(e q) increases with temperature up to 300°C, which agrees well with the previous reports, then it decreases to a minimum... 

Carbocations can also be stabilized by a heteroatom that bears a lone pair of electrons able to donate into the empty p orbital (Figure 5.24). Thus, in mass spectrometry, the fragmentation generally occurs such that the cation formed can be stabilized by the heteroatom. The mass spectrum of 2-methyl-2-butanol (Figure 5.25) illustrates. The molecular ion (M would be 88) is not seen as there are good routes to stable cations. The peaks at m/z 73 and 59 represent the loss of methyl and ethyl radicals to give cations stabilized by lone pair... 

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