Absolute Rate Constants for the Addition of Benzyl (Ph?H2) and Cumyl (Ph?Me2) Radicals to Alkenes in Solution

A bromine-radical mediated three-component reaction comprising allenes, electron-deficient alkenes and allyl bromides: facile synthesis of 2-bromo-1,7-dienes

A bromine-radical mediated three-component coupling reaction was effectively achieved by the use of allenes, electron-deficient alkenes, and allyl bromides and led to the synthesis of 2-bromo-1,7-dienes in good to high yields. This protocol was extended to the three-component process using alkylidenecyclopropane, which gave 2-bromo-1,8-diene along with alkylidenecyclopentane.

Addition of Carbon-Centered Radicals to Double Bonds: Influence of the Alkene Structure

The radical addition reaction to the double bond is well-recognized in organic chemistry as a powerful tool for C-C bond formation. The reactivity of three selected carbon centered radicals (aminoalkyl, methyl, and cyanomethyl) toward five double bonds, also representative of widespread monomers (vinyl ether, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, and ethylene), was examined in detail by using molecular orbital calculations. The observed reactivity is strongly influenced by the reaction exothermicity demonstrating that the energy barrier is governed in large part by the enthalpy term. The polar effect, as computed by molecular orbital calculations from the transition state structures, can drastically enhance the reactivity. A clear separation and quantification of the relative role of the polar and enthalpy effects in the different radical/double bond systems are obtained and the observed trend of reactivity is discussed. In addition to the effect of the charge-transfer configurations on the barrier, a large influence on the transition state geometry was evidenced.

Consistent Experimental and Theoretical Evidence for Long-Lived Intermediate Radicals in Living Free Radical Polymerization

The cumyl dithiobenzoate (CDB)-mediated reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of styrene at 30 degrees C is studied via both kinetic experiments and high-level ab initio molecular orbital calculations. The kinetic data clearly indicate the delayed onset of steady-state behavior. Such an observation is consistent with the slow fragmentation model for the RAFT process, but cannot be reconciled with the cross-termination model. The comprehensive failure of the cross-termination model is quantitatively demonstrated in a detailed kinetic analysis, in which the independent influences of the pre-equilibria and main equilibria and the possible chain length dependence of cross-termination are fully taken into account. In contrast, the slow fragmentation model can describe the data, provided the main equilibrium has a large fragmentation constant of at least 8.9 x 10(6) L mol(-1). Such a high equilibrium constant (for both equilibria) is consistent with high-level ab initio quantum chemical calculations (K = 7.3 x 10(6) L mol(-1)) and thus appears to be physically realistic. Given that the addition rate coefficient for macroradicals to (polymeric) RAFT agent is 4 x 10(6) L mol(-1) s(-1), this implies that the lifetime of the RAFT adduct radicals is close to 2.5 s. Since the radical is also kinetically stable to termination, it can thus function as a radical sink in its own right.

Role of charge-transfer configurations on the addition reaction of aminoalkyl radicals onto acrylate double bonds

The major factors affecting the reactivity of the important class of aminoalkyl radicals toward the addition reaction onto acrylate double bonds were studied. The rate constants of interaction, directly measured by using laser-induced photoacoustic calorimetry, range from 2.5 x 10(7) to 4.5 x 10(7) M(-)(1) s(-)(1). The reactivity of these radicals was compared to that of alkyl radicals. Calculations show that the reaction enthalpy is not the driving factor. Molecular orbital calculations of the transition states clearly demonstrated the large participation of charge-transfer configurations relative to nonpolar configurations, leading to a decrease of the barrier height. Moreover a quite good correlation is found when plotting the charge-transfer character in the transition state against the ionization potential. The roles of the different factors governing the reactivity of these species were elucidated.

Factors affecting the rates of addition of free radicals to alkenes-determination of absolute rate coefficients using the persistent aminoxyl method

The rate of coupling of alkyl radicals with the persistent aminoxyl radical 1,1,3,3-tetramethylisoindolin-N-oxyl (1) has been used as a kinetic probe to determine absolute rate coefficients for the addition of alkyl radicals to methyl acrylate. The results are discussed in terms of the role of the structure and functionalization of the attacking radical on the rates of addition, particularly as they affect steric, polar, and enthalpic factors. The aminoxyl method is assessed against other methods for determining free radical addition rate coefficients.

Thermolysis of free-radical initiators: tert-butylazocumene and its 1,3- and 1,4-bisazo and 1,3,5-trisazo analogues

Four tert-butylazocumenes (4-7) were prepared from the corresponding cyanobenzenes, and their nitrogen evolution kinetics and products were analyzed. In combination with TEMPO, the simplest compound, tert-butylazocumene (4), shows promise as a "one-radical" initiator of styrene polymerization. The ABNO-trapped cumyl radical 29 is a particularly stable trialkylhydroxylamine, whose thermolysis half-life is 2.1 h at 150 degrees C. Taking advantage of this stability, we trapped the cumyl radical centers from 7 to afford tris adduct 32a. While the behavior of the meta bisazoalkane 6 can be mostly predicted from that of 4, the para isomer 5 exhibits both unusual products and kinetics, attributed to the formation of quinodimethane 33 via azo-containing radical 34. In fact, flash vacuum pyrolysis of 5 allowed observation of the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of 33, whose persistence even at ambient temperature showed that this quinodimethane is far more stable than the parent 36. Finally, evidence is presented that 7 is an initiator of star polymerization.

Factors Controlling the Addition of Carbon-Centered Radicals to Alkenes-An Experimental and Theoretical Perspective

The successful exploitation of syntheses involving the generation of new carbon-carbon bonds by radical reactions rests on some prior knowledge of the rate constants for the addition of carbon-centered radicals to alkenes and other unsaturated molecules, and of the factors controlling them. Two former classical reviews in Angewandte Chemie by Tedder (1982) and by Giese (1983) provided mechanistic insight and led to various qualitative rules on the complex interplay of enthalpic, polar, and steric effects. In the meantime, the field has experienced very rapid progress: many more experimental absolute rate constants have become available, and there have been major advances in the efficiency and reliability of quantum-chemical methods for the accurate calculation of transition structures, reaction barriers, and reaction enthalpies. Herein we review this progress, recommend suitable experimental and theoretical procedures, and display representative data series for radical additions to alkenes. On this basis, and guided by the pictorial tool of the state-correlation diagram for radical additions, we then offer a new and more stringent quantification of the controlling factors. Our analysis leads to a partial revision of the previous qualitative rules, and it more clearly exhibits the interplay of the reaction enthalpy effects, polar charge-transfer contributions, and steric substituent effects on the reaction energy barrier. The various contributions are cast into the form of new, simple, and physically meaningful but non-linear, predictive equations for the preestimation of rate constants. These equations prove successful in several tests but call for additional theoretical and experimental foundation. The kinetics of related reactions such as polymer propagation, copolymerization, and the addition of radicals to alkynes and aromatic compounds is shown to follow the same principles.