Free-radical addition is an addition reaction in organic chemistry involving free radicals. The addition may occur between a radical and a non-radical, or between two radicals.
The basic steps with examples of the free radical addition (also known as radical chain mechanism) are:
- Initiation by a radical initiator: A radical is created from a non-radical precursor.
- Chain propagation: A radical reacts with a non-radical to produce a new radical species
- Chain termination: Two radicals react with each other to create a non-radical species
Free radical reactions depend on a reagent having a (relatively) weak bond, allowing it to homolyse to form radicals (often with heat or light). Reagents without such a weak bond would likely proceed via a different mechanism. An example of an addition reaction involving aryl radicals is the Meerwein arylation.
Read more about Free-radical Addition: Addition of Mineral Acid To An Alkene, Self-terminating Oxidative Radical Cyclizations
Famous quotes containing the word addition:
“But the best read naturalist who lends an entire and devout attention to truth, will see that there remains much to learn of his relation to the world, and that it is not to be learned by any addition or subtraction or other comparison of known quantities, but is arrived at by untaught sallies of the spirit, by a continual self-recovery, and by entire humility.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)