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Related Concept Videos

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:10

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.3K
Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...
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Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular01:33

Radical Reactivity: Intramolecular vs Intermolecular

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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...
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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 Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.4K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this...
2.4K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching01:17

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching

1.9K
The skeletal structure of polymers synthesized via radical polymerization is always branched. For example, the polymerization of ethylene by radical polymerization results in a low-density grade of polyethylene with a heavily branched skeletal structure. Here, the radical site abstracts hydrogen from the growing chain, and the radical site shifts from the end (a primary carbon center) to anywhere within the growing chain (a secondary carbon center). Consequently, the part of the chain from the...
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Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals01:02

Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals

1.8K
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...
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Updated: May 24, 2025

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
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Bacteria-Mediated Intracellular Radical Polymerizations.

Eleonora Ornati1,2, Jules Perrard1, Tobias A Hoffmann1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|March 4, 2025
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bacterial cells can now synthesize polymers inside themselves using atom transfer radical polymerization. This bioorthogonal method creates cell-compatible polymers and opens new avenues for synthetic biology and cell engineering.

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Area of Science:

  • Synthetic Biology
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Intracellular synthesis of synthetic polymers is challenging.
  • Bioorthogonal polymerization offers a route to polymer-modified cells.
  • Bacterial cells present potential as living polymer factories.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate intracellular radical polymerization in *Escherichia coli*.
  • To investigate the cell compatibility of this polymerization process.
  • To explore the use of bacterial cells as bioorthogonal polymer synthesis platforms.

Main Methods:

  • Initiation of polymerization using atom transfer radical reaction triggered by biomolecules.
  • Confirmation of intracellular polymerization via NMR spectroscopy, GPC, and fluorescence labeling.
  • Assessment of cell viability, behavior, and membrane integrity using microscopy, flow cytometry, and metabolic assays.

Main Results:

  • *Escherichia coli* successfully initiated polymerization of various monomers intracellularly.
  • Synthesized polymers were cell-compatible, maintaining high cell viability.
  • Fluorescent dyes were incorporated into polymers synthesized *in cellulo*.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial cells can act as living catalysts for polymer production.
  • Intracellular atom transfer radical polymerization is a viable bioorthogonal tool.
  • This approach advances cell engineering and synthetic biology applications.