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Related Concept Videos

Radical Reactivity: Overview01:11

Radical Reactivity: Overview

Radicals, the highly reactive species, gain stability by undergoing three different reactions. The first reaction involves a radical-radical coupling, in which a radical combines with another radical, forming a spin‐paired molecule. The second reaction is between a radical and a spin‐paired molecule, generating a new radical and a new spin‐paired molecule. The third reaction is radical decomposition in a unimolecular reaction, forming a new radical and a spin‐paired molecule. These three...
Radical Formation: Addition00:47

Radical Formation: Addition

Radicals can be formed by adding a radical to a spin-paired molecule. This is typically observed with unsaturated species, where the addition of a radical across the π bond leads to the production of a new radical by dissolving the π bond. For example, the addition of a Br radical to an alkene yields a carbon-centered radical.
Similar to charge conservation in chemical reactions, spin conservation is implicit for radical reactions. Accordingly, the product formed must possess an unpaired...
Radical Formation: Abstraction00:47

Radical Formation: Abstraction

The electron of an atom can be abstracted from a compound by a relatively unstable radical to generate a new radical of relatively greater stability. For example, an initiator which forms radicals by homolysis can abstract a suitable species like a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom from a compound to generate a new radical. This ability of radicals to propagate by abstraction is a crucial feature of radical chain reactions.
Even though homolysis produces radicals, it is different from radical...
Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular01:33

Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular

Radical reactions can occur either intermolecularly or intramolecularly. In an intermolecular radical reaction, a nucleophilic radical adds to an electrophilic alkene or vice versa. In such reactions, the radical and generally the alkene, which is also called the radical trap, are two different molecules. Additionally, for such intermolecular reactions to occur, the radical trap must be active, present in an excess concentration, and the radical starting material must have a weak carbon–halogen...
Radical Formation: Overview01:03

Radical Formation: Overview

A bond can be broken either by heterolytic bond cleavage to form ions or homolytic bond cleavage to yield radicals. A fishhook arrow is used to represent the motion of a single electron in homolytic bond cleavage. There are two main sources from which radicals can be formed:
Radicals from spin-paired molecules:
Radicals can be obtained from spin-paired molecules either by homolysis or electron transfer. While two radicals are formed in the former, an electron is added in the latter, also known...
Radical Formation: Homolysis00:54

Radical Formation: Homolysis

A bond is formed between two atoms by sharing two electrons. When this bond is broken by supplying sufficient energy, either two electrons can be taken up by one atom forming ions by the cleavage called heterolysis, or the two electrons are shared by two atoms, with one each creating radicals by the cleavage called homolysis.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst
06:49

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Published on: April 22, 2016

Radical and radical-ionic multicomponent processes.

Edouard Godineau1, Yannick Landais

  • 1University Bordeaux-1, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, ISM-UMR 5255, 351, cours de la libération 33405 Talence Cedex, France.

Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|February 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Radical, radical-ionic, and radical-organometallic multicomponent reactions (MCRs) offer a convergent pathway to molecular diversity. This approach enables the economical synthesis of various organic substrates with high efficiency.

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Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
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Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
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Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals

Published on: April 19, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Synthetic Chemistry

Background:

  • Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) are efficient synthetic strategies.
  • Ionic and organometallic MCRs have advanced drug-like molecule synthesis.
  • Radical-based MCRs have historically received less attention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight recent developments in radical, radical-ionic, and radical-organometallic MCRs.
  • To showcase the potential of these MCRs for economical substrate elaboration.
  • To emphasize the utility of radical MCRs for generating molecular diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent literature on radical, radical-ionic, and radical-organometallic MCRs.
  • Analysis of reaction convergence and efficiency.
  • Evaluation of the scope for generating structural diversity.

Main Results:

  • Radical, radical-ionic, and radical-organometallic MCRs are highly convergent.
  • These reactions provide efficient pathways to molecular and structural diversity.
  • The strategy is applicable to the economical synthesis of diverse organic substrates.

Conclusions:

  • Radical-based MCRs represent a valuable, yet underexplored, synthetic strategy.
  • These methods offer significant potential for efficient and economical synthesis.
  • Further development in radical MCRs can unlock new avenues for molecular diversity.