Phenyl radicals addition reactions

The radicals formed from this homolysis are unstable and each breaks down by cleavage of a C-G bond, generating C02 and a phenyl radical. These homolytic bond cleavages are elimination reactions and are the reverse of radical addition reactions. 

Formation by a radical addition reaction The presence of methyl and ethenyl groups in the products indicates that shock waves destroyed the structure of benzene and formed some lower-molecular-weight radicals (e.g., methyl and ethenyl radicals). If we assume Uiat the formation of a MeNap or PhNap molecule is a result of attack by a methyl or a phenyl radical against naphthalene molecule, respectively, the yield relations in isomers estimated from tire reactivity indices would be 1-MeNap >2-MeNap and 1-PhNap >2-PhNap. These relative amounts are inconsistent with Uiose of the shock products. Therefore, it is unreasonable to invoke a radical reaction only for the reaction of MeBip and PhNap. 

Phenylmenthyl esters are also suitable chiral groups for inducing stereoselectivity in radical addition reactions, as shown in the allylation of phenylmenthyloxycarbonyl-substituted xanthates. The photoinitiated reaction of the radical precursor with tributyl(2-propenyl)stannane at — 78 =C affords only one diastereomer4. The absolute configuration of (— )-8-phenylmenthyl 2-methyl-2-phenyl-4-pentenoate (5) is not known. 

Scheme 16. Phenyl selenide transfer radical addition reactions...

Phenyl selenide transfer radical addition reactions can be limited by the lack of reactivity observed in some precursors. Simple alkyl phenyl selenides do not undergo inter- or intramolecular radical additions to olefins. Phenylselenotrichloromethane will add to olefins upon photolysis, and the products formed can be elaborated into a, ff-unsaturated carboxylic acids (Scheme 20) [57], Benzyl phenylselenides have been observed to undergo atom transfer cyclization (Scheme 20) [58]. 

BusSnH-mediated intramolecular arylations of various heteroarenes such as substituted pyrroles, indoles, pyridones and imidazoles have also been reported [51]. In addition, aryl bromides, chlorides and iodides have been used as substrates in electrochemically induced radical biaryl synthesis [52]. Curran introduced [4-1-1] annulations incorporating aromatic substitution reactions with vinyl radicals for the synthesis of the core structure of various camptothecin derivatives [53]. The vinyl radicals have been generated from alkynes by radical addition reactions [53, 54]. For example, aryl radical 27, generated from the corresponding iodide or bromide, was allowed to react with phenyl isonitrile to afford imidoyl radical 28, which further reacts in a 5-exo-dig process to vinyl radical 29 (Scheme 8) [53a,b]. The vinyl radical 29 then reacts in a 1,6-cyclization followed by oxidation to the tetracycle 30. There is some evidence [55] that the homolytic aromatic substitution can also occur via initial ipso attack to afford spiro radical 31, followed by opening of this cyclo-... 

A fourth class of radical-forming reaction is elimination. For an example, we can go back to dibenzoyl peroxide, the unstable compound we considered earlier in the chapter. The radicals formed from dibenzoyl peroxide by homolysis are themselves unstable and each can break down by cleavage of a C-C bond, generating CO2 and a phenyl radical. This is a radical elimination reaction, and is the reverse of a radical addition reaction. 

The types of compounds that can be polymerized readily by the radical-chain mechanism are the same types that easily undergo free-radical addition reactions. Alkenes with aryl, ester, nitrile, or halide substituent groups that can stabilize the intermediate radical are most susceptible to radical polymerization. Terminal alkenes are generally more reactive toward radical-chain polymerization than more highly substituted isomers. The dominant mode of addition in radical-chain polymerization is head-to-tail. The reason for this orientation is that each successive addition of monomer takes place in such a way that the most stable possible radical intermediate is formed. For example, the addition to styrene occurs to give the phenyl-substituted radical to acrylonitrile, to give the cyano-substituted radical ... 

Monomers which have been successfully polymerized using ATRP include styrenes, acrylates, methacrylates, and several other relatively reactive monomers such as acrylamides, vinylpyridine, and acrylonitrile, which contain groups (e.g., phenyl, carbonyl, nitrile) adjacent to the carbon radicals that stabilize the propagating chains and produce a suf cientiy large atom transfer equilibrium constant. The range of monomers polymerizable by ATRP is thus greater than that accessible by nitroxide-mediated polymerization, since it includes the entire family of methacrylates. However, acidic monomers (e.g., methacrylic acid) have not been successfully polymerized by ATRP and so also halogenated alkenes, alkyl-substimted ole ns, and vinyl esters because of then-very low intrinsic reactivity in radical polymerization and radical addition reactions (and hence, presumably, a very low ATRP equilibrium constant). 

Thus resou Uice of the phenyl group can slow down the radical addition reaction in certain cases. 

The Meerwein reaction between phenyl radicals, thermally generated from arenediazonium salts, and alkenes in the presence of copper(l) ions can also be initiated photochemically. Irradiation of the diaz-onium salt in the presence of copper(ll) ions leads to photoelectron transfer and the generation of phenyl radicals. Addition of the radical to an alkene bond becomes a chain reaction mediated by copper ions according to Scheme 5. Quantum yields for the evolution of nitrogen are in the region of 700. ... 

Part B of Table 12.2 gives some addition reaction rates. Comparison of entries 19 and 20 shows that the phenyl radical is much more reactive toward addition than the benzy 1 radical. Comparison of entries 22 and 23 shows that methyl radicals are less reactive than phenyl radicals in additions to an aromatic ring. Note that additions to aromatic rings are much slower than additions to alkenes. 

The results are consistent with the rate-determining step being addition of the aryl radical to the aromatic ring, Eq. (9). Support for this mechanism is derived from the results of three other studies (a) When A -nitrosoacetanilide is decomposed in pyridine, the benzene formed by abstraction of hydrogen from pyridine by phenyl radical accounts for only 1 part in 120 of the reaction leading to phenyl-pyridines. (b) 9,9, 10,lCK-Tetrahydro-10,10 -diphenyl-9,9 -bianthryl is formed in the reaction between phenyl radicals and anthracene, probably by the addition mechanism in Eq. (11). Adducts are also formed in the reactions of benzyl radicals with anthracene- and acridine. ... 

A similar but asymmetric variant of the reaction, involving the radical addition of alkyl iodides and trialkylboranes to chiral azirine esters derived from 8-phenyl-menthol and camphorsultam, in the presence of a Cu(i) catalyst, has subsequently been reported [64]. The diastereoselectivity of the addition is variable (0-92% de)... 

For reactions with S, specificity is found to decrease in the series cyanoisopropyl mcthyl Fbutoxy>phcnyl>bcnzoyloxy. Cyanoisopropyl (Scheme 3.3),7 f-bntoxy and methyl radicals give exclusively tail addition. Phenyl radicals afford tail addition and ca l% aromatic substitution. Benzoyloxy radicals give tail addition, head addition, and aromatic substitution (Scheme 3.4). ... 

Absolute rate constants for the attack of aryl radicals on a variety of substrates have been reported by Scaiano and Stewart (Ph ) 7 and Citterio at al. (/j-CIPh-).379,384 The reactions are extremely facile in comparison with additions of other carbon-centered radicals [e.g. jfc(S) = 1.1x10s M"1 s"1 at 25 °C].3,7 Relative reactivities are available for a wider range of monomers and other substrates (Tabic 3.b). Phenyl radicals do not show clear cut electrophilic or... 

Se-phenyl areneselenosulfonates (24) undergo facile free-radical addition to alkenes to produce / -phenylseleno sulfones (25) in excellent yield86,87 (see Scheme 7). The addition occurs regiospecifically and affords anti-Markovnikov products contrary to the analogous boron trifluoride catalyzed reaction which produces exclusively Markovnikov and highly stereospecific products86 (equation 37). Reaction 36 has been shown to have the radical... 

The trapping of alkyl, alkoxyl and alkylthiyl radicals by trivalent phosphorus compounds, followed by either a-scission or p-scission of the ensuing phosphoranyl radical, is a powerful tool for preparation of new trivalent or pen-tavalent phosphorus compounds [59]. However, the products of these reactions strongly depend on the BDE of the bonds, which are either formed or cleaved. For example, the addition of phenyl radicals on a three-coordinate phosphorus molecule occurs irreversibly, while that of dimethylaminyl (Me2N ) or methyl radicals is reversible, the amount of subsequent P-scission (formation of compound C) depending on the nature of Z and R (Scheme 25). For tertiary alkyl radicals and stabilized alkyl radicals no addition is observed (Scheme 25) [63]. 

In aromatic combustion flames, cyclopentadienyl radicals (c-CgHj ) can be precursors for PAH formation. " At high temperatures, benzene is oxidized by reaction with an oxygen molecule to yield phenylperoxy (C6H5O2 ) radical, via the initial formation of the phenyl radical (by C-H bond cleavage) and then the rapid addition of O2 (reaction 6.16). After expulsion of CO from phenylperoxy radical, a resonance-stabilized cyclopentadienyl radical (c-CgHg ) is formed (reaction 6.16). 

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