Alkyl radicals — reactions with

On the basis of the reaction of alkyl radicals with a number of polycyclic aromatics, Szwarc and Binks calculated the relative selectivities of several radicals methyl, 1 (by definition) ethyl, 1.0 n-propyl, 1.0 trichloromethyl, 1.8. The relative reactivities of the three alkyl radicals toward aromatics therefore appears to be the same. On the other hand, quinoline (the only heterocyclic compound so far examined in reactions with alkyl radicals other than methyl) shows a steady increase in its reactivity toward methyl, ethyl, and n-propyl radicals. This would suggest that the nucleophilic character of the alkyl radicals increases in the order Me < Et < n-Pr, and that the selectivity of the radical as defined by Szwarc is not necessarily a measure of its polar character. 

Allylic stannanes are an important class of compounds that undergo substitution reactions with alkyl radicals. The chain is propagated by elimination of the trialkyl -stannyl radical.315 The radical source must have some functional group that can be abstracted by trialkylstannyl radicals. In addition to halides, both thiono esters316 and selenides317 are reactive. 

In addition to homolytic decomposition, hydroperoxyl groups of polymer are decomposed in reactions with alkyl radicals (see Chapter 4). Such induced decomposition of POOH groups... 

Antioxidants that break chains by reactions with alkyl radicals. These are compounds, such as quinones, nitrones, iminoquinones, methylenequinones, stable nitroxyl radicals, and nitrocompounds that readily accept alkyl radicals. Such antioxidants are efficient at very low concentrations of dioxygen and in solid polymers. 

In addition to this reaction, quinones and other alkyl radical acceptors retard polymer oxidation by the reaction with alkyl radicals (see earlier). As a result, effectiveness of these inhibitors increases with the formation of hydroperoxide groups in PP. In addition, the inhibiting capacity of these antioxidants grows with hydroperoxide accumulation. The results illustrating the efficiency of the antioxidants with cyclic chain termination mechanisms in PP containing hydroperoxide groups is presented in Table 19.12. The polyatomic phenols producing quinones also possess the ability to terminate several chains. 

Another class of compounds which undergo addition reactions with alkyl radicals are allylstannanes. The chain is propagated by elimination of the trialkylstannyl radical.229 230 231... 

From a synthetic point of view, bond forming steps are the most important reactions of radical ions [202]. Several principle possibilities have been described in Section 8.1 and are summarized in Scheme 52. Many carbo- and heterocyclic ring systems can be constructed by (inter- and intramolecular) radical addition to alkenes, alkynes, or arenes. Coupling of carbonyl radical anions leads to pinacols either intra-or inter-molecular which can be further modified to give 1,2-diols, acyloins or alkenes. Radical combination reactions with alkyl radicals afford the opportunity to synthesize macrocyclic rings. These radical ion-radical pairs can be generated most efficiently by inter- or intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer. 

Antioxidants which prevent oxidation by reaction with alkyl radicals. The additives react quickly with alkyl radicals. Examples of such additives are hynones, iminehynones, methylhynones, stable nitrogen oxide radicals, and molecular iodine. Alkyl radicals react quickly with oxy-... 

If >>c(oo-)o-h = 75 kcal mole-1, then q = 30 kcal mole-1. Therefore, hyroxyperoxy radicals, in contrast to alkylperoxy radicals, display a dual reactivity. They can take part both in oxidation and in reduction reactions and they would be expected to react not only with radicals but with molecules of the oxidizing agent, with quinones for example. The kinetics of 2-propanol oxidation in the presence of benzoquinone has been studied [80], Quinones are known to terminate chains in hydrocarbon oxidation only by reactions with alkyl radicals [1]. In alcohol oxidation, quinone terminates chains by reaction with hydroxyalkyl as well as with hydroxyperoxy radicals [80]. At 71°C and PQl = 760 torr, 86% of chain termination is due to the reaction >C)0H)00- + quinone. The rate coefficient is M>C(0H)00- + quinone) = 3.2 X 1031 mole-1 s-1 and kQ/kp = 1.0 X 104. Just as in the case of aromatic amines, f> 2 f= 23 for quinone, i.e. quinone is regenerated in the reactions... 

Reaction with alkyl radicals 14, 10.3.4.2.3 Reaction with CHCI3 and PhCH2Br 14,... 

For the homolytic mode of formation of the Co - C bond in coenzyme Bi2 (2) the structure [51] and reactivity of cob(II)alamin (23) gave crucial information. The radicaloid 23 has a pentacoordinated Co(II) center and is considered to fulfill all the structural criteria of a highly efficient radical trap (see Fig. 10), since its reactions with alkyl radicals occur with negligible restructuring of the DMB-nucleotide coordinated cobalt-corrin moiety [51]. From this it is understandable that the remarkably high reaction rate of 23 with alkyl radicals (such as the 5 -deoxy-5 -adenosyl radical) and the diastere-ospecificity for the reaction to occur at the j8-face, are both consistent and explainable due to the structure of cob(II)alamin. The coordination of the DMB-nucleotide in 23 controls the (a/j8)-diastereoface selectivity (in both a kinetic and thermodynamic sense) in alkylation reactions at the Co(II) center. 

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