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Related Concept Videos

Radical Reactivity: Overview01:11

Radical Reactivity: Overview

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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...
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Radical Reactivity: Steric Effects01:10

Radical Reactivity: Steric Effects

1.9K
The presence of electron-donating, electron-withdrawing, or conjugating groups adjacent to a radical center, imparts electronic stabilization to the radicals. Examples of such electronically-stabilized radicals are triphenylmethyl, tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxide, and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl. These radicals are remarkably stable and are known as persistent radicals. Some of the persistent radicals can even be isolated and purified.
Along with electronic...
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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: 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: Nucleophilic Radicals01:16

Radical Reactivity: Nucleophilic Radicals

2.1K
Radicals adjacent to electron-donating groups are called nucleophilic radicals. These radicals readily react with electrophilic alkenes. The SOMO–LUMO interactions are the driving force for the reaction, where the high-energy SOMO of the electron-rich, nucleophilic radicals interacts with the low-energy LUMO of the electron-deficient, electrophilic alkenes. Such SOMO–LUMO interactions are the basis of reactive radical traps, affecting the selectivity in radical reactions. For...
2.1K
Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals01:02

Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals

1.9K
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...
1.9K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2025

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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Astrochemically Relevant Radicals and Radical-Molecule Complexes: A New Insight from Matrix Isolation.

Vladimir I Feldman1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|October 14, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Reactive open-shell species are crucial for forming biologically relevant molecules in space. Matrix isolation studies reveal how radicals and radical cations contribute to complex organic molecule formation in cold cosmic environments.

Keywords:
astrochemistrycryogenic tempeartureselectron paramagnetic resonancefree radicalsinfrared spectroscopymatrix isolationradiation chemistryradical–molecule complexes

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Area of Science:

  • Astrochemistry
  • Chemical Physics
  • Spectroscopy

Background:

  • Reactive open-shell species are key intermediates in radiation-induced molecular evolution in space.
  • The formation of biologically relevant molecules is hypothesized to originate from these processes in cold cosmic environments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of radiation-induced molecular evolution in space.
  • To present experimental and theoretical insights from matrix isolation studies on radicals and radical cations relevant to astrochemistry.
  • To discuss the role of small organic radicals and radical-molecule complexes in the formation of complex organic molecules (COMs) in space.

Main Methods:

  • Matrix isolation studies
  • Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy
  • Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy
  • Theoretical calculations

Main Results:

  • Characterization of radicals and radical cations from astrochemically relevant molecules using FTIR and EPR spectroscopy.
  • Investigation of small organic radicals (C, O, N) and their potential role in COM formation.
  • Analysis of radical-molecule complexes as building blocks for COMs under cryogenic conditions with restricted mobility.

Conclusions:

  • Reactive species, particularly radicals and radical cations, are essential for synthesizing complex organic molecules in interstellar space.
  • Matrix isolation techniques provide valuable insights into the formation pathways of astrochemically relevant molecules.
  • Understanding these processes at cryogenic temperatures is crucial for comprehending the origins of life's precursors.