Use of RSE Values in Practical Applications

Radical stabilization energies calculated according to Equation 5.3 at 298.15 K have been compiled in Table 5.4 for a variety of monosubstituted methyl radicals at either G3(MP2)-RAD or higher level. In those cases in which results are available at more than one theoretical level, good agreement between these results is usually found. Overall, the mean absolute deviation of the G3(MP2)-RAD values from experiment is 

The analysis of substituent effects on RSE values does not only aid our understanding, but also holds a degree of predictive power, allowing one to design and select species with optimal radical stabilities for specific practical applications. Indeed, provided due attention is given to the effects of substituents on the other species involved, RSEs can even provide a qualitative guide to the thermodynamic stability of radicals in other types of chemical reaction, such as addition and beta-scission. In this section, some practical applications of RSE values are illustrated using some selected case studies from the literature. 

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