Ingold-Fischer "Persistent Radical Effect", Solvent Effect, and Metal Salt Oxidation of Carbon-Centered Radicals in the Synthesis of Mixed Peroxides from tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide

Mixed peroxides are formed from tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH), tert-butyl peroxalate (TBP), and a variety of substrates (p-cresol, cyclohexene, styrene, α-methylstyrene, acrylonitrile, 2-methylcyclohexanone). Also, the oxidation of THF in the presence of acrylonitrile under the same conditions gives the mixed peroxide, generated by addition of the tetrahydrofuranyl radical to the double bond and the cross-coupling of the radical adduct with the tert-butylperoxyl radical. Similarly, benzoyl peroxide, TBH, and acrylonitrile give the mixed peroxide by oxidative arylation of the double bond. Paradoxically, TBH acts as effective inhibitor of the polymerization of vinyl monomers (acrylonitrile, styrene). An overall kinetic evaluation suggests that the conditions for the Ingold-Fischer "persistent radical effect", characterized by the simultaneous formation of a persistent and a transient radical, are fulfilled in all cases. The reactions are strongly affected by solvents, which form hydrogen bonds with TBH. Catalytic amounts of Cu(II) and Fe(III) salts influence the selectivity; the possibility that the mixed peroxides can also be generated by metal salt oxidation of carbon-centered radicals is discussed.