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Related Concept Videos

Radical Reactivity: Overview01:11

Radical Reactivity: Overview

2.2K
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...
2.2K
Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals01:02

Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals

2.0K
Radicals adjacent to electron‐withdrawing groups are called electrophilic radicals. These radicals readily react with nucleophilic alkenes. For example, the malonate radical, in which the radical center is flanked by two electron‐withdrawing groups, reacts readily with butyl vinyl ether, which consists of an electron‐donating oxygen substituent. The reaction between electrophilic malonate radical and nucleophilic vinyl ether is favored because the radical has a...
2.0K
Radical Autoxidation01:20

Radical Autoxidation

2.5K
The oxidation of an organic compound in the presence of air or oxygen is called autoxidation. For example, cumene reacts with oxygen to form hydroperoxide. Autoxidation involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. Many organic compounds are susceptible to autoxidation—especially ethers in the presence of oxygen, which form hydroperoxides. Even though this reaction is slow, old ether bottles contain small amounts of peroxide, which leads to laboratory explosions during ether...
2.5K
Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents01:27

Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents

8.8K
In the presence of heat or light, alkanes react with molecular halogens to form alkyl halides by a substitution reaction called radical halogenation. This reaction has three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination, as seen in the radical chlorination of methane to produce methyl chloride.
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...
8.8K
Radical Formation: Elimination00:51

Radical Formation: Elimination

1.9K
Another method of radical formation is the elimination process. It is the opposite of the addition route and is driven by the instability of the radical. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, dibenzoyl peroxide yields a pair of unstable radicals upon homolysis. Given its instability, this radical spontaneously undergoes elimination via a C–C bond cleavage to form a relatively more stable phenyl radical. The mechanism involves cleavage of the bond between the α and β positions...
1.9K
Radical Formation: Addition00:47

Radical Formation: Addition

1.9K
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...
1.9K

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Updated: Oct 14, 2025

A Protocol for Detecting and Scavenging Gas-phase Free Radicals in Mainstream Cigarette Smoke
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A radical shift in air pollution.

Colette L Heald1, Jesse H Kroll2

  • 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachussets Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|November 4, 2021
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Hydroxyl radicals drive tropospheric chemistry. This foundational discovery by Levy 50 years ago continues to shape our understanding of atmospheric science.

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Area of Science:

  • Atmospheric Chemistry
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • The troposphere's chemical processes are crucial for air quality and climate.
  • Understanding the key reactive species is fundamental to atmospheric modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the seminal work of Levy in identifying hydroxyl radicals.
  • To underscore the significance of hydroxyl radicals in tropospheric chemistry.

Main Methods:

  • Historical review of atmospheric chemistry research.
  • Analysis of key publications in tropospheric chemistry.

Main Results:

  • Levy's 1970s research identified hydroxyl radicals (OH) as the primary oxidant in the troposphere.
  • This finding established the basis for modern atmospheric chemistry.

Conclusions:

  • The identification of hydroxyl radicals revolutionized the field of atmospheric chemistry.
  • This discovery remains a cornerstone for research into air pollution and climate change.