Reactions with Atoms, Free Radicals and Carbenes

Reactions with Atoms, Free radicals and Carbenes 

Atoms and free radicals are very reactive species toward all organic substances including hydrocarbons, even saturated ones. Reactions of alkanes with atoms 

A carbon atom inserts into C-H bond of methane to produce a species which is transformed into ethylene and some other hydrocarbons [8a]  

The electronically excited oxygen atom reacts with alkanes, the dominant reaction mechanism being the insertion of this atom into the C-H bond, thus yielding chemically activated alcohol followed by fragmentation [8c,d]. 

We will see that similar conclusions with respect to the mechanism (possibility of insertion as well as hydrogen atom abstraction) may be made for reactions of oxygen atoms bound to metal ( oxenes ) with alkanes in enzymatic and model chemical reactions. The excited nitrogen atom, N( D), reacts analogously [8f,g]. 

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II.2. Reactions with Atoms, Free radicals and Carbenes... 

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