Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Radical Formation: Overview01:03

Radical Formation: Overview

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Radical Reactivity: Overview01:11

Radical Reactivity: Overview

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Radical Formation: Addition00:47

Radical Formation: Addition

1.7K
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...
1.7K
Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular01:33

Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular

1.8K
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...
1.8K
Radical Formation: Homolysis00:54

Radical Formation: Homolysis

3.6K
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.
3.6K
Radical Formation: Abstraction00:47

Radical Formation: Abstraction

3.5K
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...
3.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Amplified chiroptic response in a multi-helical penta-perylene structure.

Chemical science·2026
Same author

Designing effective single-molecule electromagnets with radially π-conjugated carbon structures.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Scanning Tunneling Microscope-Based Break-Junction Techniqueî—¸A Tutorial.

ACS physical chemistry Au·2026
Same author

A Computationally Efficient and Accurate Method for Predicting Conductance of Single-Molecule Junctions.

Nano letters·2026
Same author

Dual activation of MC3R and MC4R drives weight loss and reduces food intake in male primates with obesity.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Strong Coupling in Orthogonal Nanographenes.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same journal

Linker Engineering toward NIR-II Metal-Organic Framework with Maximal Emission beyond 1000 nm for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Imaging.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same journal

Observing Kinetic Selectivity in Anthracene Photodimerization through Selective Quenching by Excited States of Proximate Rare Earth Cations.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same journal

Sequence-Dependent Folding of Recognition-Encoded Melamine Oligomers.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same journal

Large Thermo- and Mechanosalient Actuation via Cooperative Twist Elasticity-Induced Packing Motif Conversion.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same journal

Discovery and Biosynthesis of Lanthipeptides Featuring an Azepinoindole Scaffold by Radical <i>S</i>-Adenosylmethionine Enzyme-Catalyzed C-C Bond Formation.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same journal

Enantiopurity-Controlled Magnetism in a Two-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Material.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Single-Molecule F&#246;rster Resonance Energy Transfer Methods for Real-Time Investigation of the Holliday Junction Resolution by GEN1
11:27

Single-Molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Methods for Real-Time Investigation of the Holliday Junction Resolution by GEN1

Published on: September 18, 2019

9.5K

Radical Single-Molecule Junctions.

Liang Li1, Claudia R Prindle1, Wanzhuo Shi1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|August 9, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Stable radicals offer unique electronic properties for molecular devices and spintronics. This perspective outlines design principles for creating stable radicals and understanding their behavior in molecular junctions.

More Related Videos

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
11:33

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

Published on: January 19, 2018

9.7K
Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions
14:43

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Published on: August 27, 2014

11.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Single-Molecule F&#246;rster Resonance Energy Transfer Methods for Real-Time Investigation of the Holliday Junction Resolution by GEN1
11:27

Single-Molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Methods for Real-Time Investigation of the Holliday Junction Resolution by GEN1

Published on: September 18, 2019

9.5K
All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
11:33

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

Published on: January 19, 2018

9.7K
Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions
14:43

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Published on: August 27, 2014

11.6K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular electronics
  • Organic spintronics
  • Materials science

Background:

  • Radicals possess unique open-shell electronic structures, making them promising for electronic devices.
  • Applications include electrical conduction and switching in molecular circuits, and molecular spintronics.
  • Challenges exist in synthesizing stable radicals and characterizing their properties within molecular junctions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide design principles for synthesizing stable radicals suitable for molecular junctions.
  • To offer current insights into the electronic properties of radicals in single-molecule devices.
  • To encourage further research and development of radical-based molecular systems.

Main Methods:

  • Review of chemical and physical properties of established radical systems.
  • Analysis of design principles for radical synthesis.
  • Exploration of radical behavior in molecular junctions and single-molecule devices.

Main Results:

  • Established radical systems exhibit potential for molecular electronics and spintronics.
  • Design principles can guide the creation of stable radicals for specific applications.
  • Understanding radical properties in molecular junctions is crucial for device development.

Conclusions:

  • Stable radicals are key components for advancing molecular electronics and spintronics.
  • Further investigation into radical synthesis and properties will accelerate the development of novel molecular devices.
  • This perspective serves as a guide for researchers in the field of radical-based molecular systems.