Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- en:reactivity:radical_addition:intro [2026/09/10 11:03] – abc
+++ en:reactivity:radical_addition:intro [2026/09/10 11:10] (current) – abc
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 Radical addition to the unsaturated C=C bond is an important part of radical chemistry. Only the experimental data of radical polymerization and oxidation of unsaturated compounds are an extremely large block of information [ [[ref|1]] ]. So, the question of reactivity is not discussed once. There were proposed both descriptive empirical schemes of relative reactivity and theoretical approaches. The main characteristic of this class of reactions is that functional groups at the reaction center cannot be considered just substituents. So, the usual linear correlations of Hammett type [ [[ref|2]] ] had no success in the general case.
-The first successful scheme of that kind was the //Q&ndash;e// scheme of Alfrey-Price for bulk copolymerization. Its equation for rate constant //k<sub>RM</sub>// of addition of polymer radical //R// to monomer //M// looks like this: \\ //ln k<sub>RM</sub> = ln P<sub>R</sub> + ln Q<sub>M</sub> − e<sub>R</sub>e<sub>RM</sub>// [ [[ref|3]] ].
+The first successful scheme of that kind was the //Q–e// scheme of Alfrey-Price for bulk copolymerization. Its equation for rate constant //k<sub>RM</sub>// of addition of polymer radical //R// to monomer //M// looks like this: \\ //ln k<sub>RM</sub> = ln P<sub>R</sub> + ln Q<sub>M</sub> − e<sub>R</sub>e<sub>RM</sub>// [ [[ref|3]] ].
 Although parameters //P/Q// were assigned the meaning of energies of stabilization, and e the measure of polar factor, this equation could be considered a 2-D variant of the usual Hammett equation: fix parameter //e// of the radical and get a linear equation for monomer reactivity; and the same but with radicals.
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 Since the pioneer works of Fukui [ [[ref|6]] ], the main approach to discussion of radical reactivity became the method of boundary molecular orbitals (MOs), and its extreme variant of using ionization potential (or electron affinity, depending on the relation of donor–acceptor properties of reagents) as an index of reactivity of monomers/radicals. For example, this approach was good enough for studies of reactivity of alkyl radicals toward vinyl monomers [ [[ref|7]] ].
-Now, this study is another ambitious attempt to build some universal model of reactivity of vinyl monomers //CH<sub>2</sub>=CXY// in radical addition reactions, using for the basis a theoretical investigation of reactivity of the C=C bond. For the basic concept of this approach we assumed that criterion of reactivity of reagents should be not experimental data but directly calculated activation barriers (experimental activation energies are not numerous and reliable enough). This enabled us to reveal true electronic factors of reactivity and avoid effects caused by differences of experimental conditions, for example, influence of solvents. For this purpose there were performed a series of calculations of reactions of C- and O-centered radicals //CH<sub>3</sub><sup>•</sup>//, //CH<sub>3</sub>O<sup>•</sup>//, //CCl<sub>3</sub><sup>•</sup>//, //CF<sub>3</sub><sup>•</sup>//, and //HOO<sup>•</sup>// and vinyl monomers //CH<sub>2</sub>CHX//, both ordinary ones as vinyl acrylate and with conjugated double bonds (butadiene, styrene, etc.) [ [[ref|8]] ].
+Now, this study is another ambitious attempt to build some universal model of reactivity of vinyl monomers //CH<sub>2</sub>=CXY// in radical addition reactions, using for the basis a theoretical investigation of reactivity of the C=C bond. **For the basic concept of this approach we assumed that criterion of reactivity of reagents should be not experimental data but directly calculated activation barriers** (experimental activation energies are not numerous and reliable enough). This enabled us to reveal true electronic factors of reactivity and avoid effects caused by differences of experimental conditions, for example, influence of solvents. For this purpose there were performed a series of calculations of reactions of C- and O-centered radicals //CH<sub>3</sub><sup>•</sup>//, //CH<sub>3</sub>O<sup>•</sup>//, //CCl<sub>3</sub><sup>•</sup>//, //CF<sub>3</sub><sup>•</sup>//, and //HOO<sup>•</sup>// and vinyl monomers //CH<sub>2</sub>CHX//, both ordinary ones as vinyl acrylate and with conjugated double bonds (butadiene, styrene, etc.) [ [[ref|8]] ].
 A special part of this article is the new model of electronegativities that was derived from the perturbated MO (PMO) theory equation as its alternative. It has general character and can be applied in any studies of reactivity where the PMO approach could be used.