Spin catalysis of the radical recombination reaction

Abstract

Rate constant of the recombination of alkyl radicals with nitroxide biradicals in dioxane and ethyl benzene exceed rate constants with ‘parent’ mono radicals by 10%–50%. The difference in reactivity is attributed to spin catalysis of the recombination reaction which occurs in the encounter pair of an alkyl radical with one of the biradical termini by the second spin-carrying terminus.