What is a Radical?
A Radical is an atom or molecule possessing one or more unpaired electrons. As such they are very reactive and can be too reactive to be useful due to selectivity rules. We know the structure of radicals through Electron Spin (or Paramagnetic) Resonance Spectroscopy. Unpaired electrons are stabilised in the same way as carbocations, the reactivity of unpaired electrons can also be reduced if their molecular surroundings are bulky. The so-called persistence of radicals can sometimes arise from both electronic and steric factors, such as:
A Radical is an atom or molecule possessing one or more unpaired electrons. As such they are very reactive and can be too reactive to be useful due to selectivity rules. We know the structure of radicals through Electron Spin (or Paramagnetic) Resonance Spectroscopy. Unpaired electrons are stabilised in the same way as carbocations, the reactivity of unpaired electrons can also be reduced if their molecular surroundings are bulky. The so-called persistence of radicals can sometimes arise from both electronic and steric factors, such as: