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Radical Substitution Reactions at the Saturated C Atom

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Organic Mechanisms

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Abstract

In a substitution reaction, a substituent X of a molecule R-X is replaced by a group Y (Figure 1.1). The subject of this chapter is substitution reactions in which a substituent X that is bound to an sp 3-hybridized C atom is replaced by a group Y via radical intermediates. Radicals are usually short-lived atoms or molecules. They contain one or more unpaired electrons. You should already be familiar with at least two radicals, which by the way are quite stable: NO and O2. NO contains one lone electron; it is therefore a monoradical or simply a “radical.” O2 contains two lone electrons and is therefore a biradical.

Some substrates and products of radical substitution reactions.

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, 601 S. College Avenue, Columbia, Missouri, 65211

    Michael Harmata (Norman Rabjohn Distinguished Professor of Chemistry) (Norman Rabjohn Distinguished Professor of Chemistry)

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(2010). Radical Substitution Reactions at the Saturated C Atom. In: Harmata, M. (eds) Organic Mechanisms. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03651-4_1

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