La spécificité des halogénations atomiques I. La réaction de la N‐chlorosuccinimide avec le toluène

Abstract

Abstract The thermal reaction of N‐chlorosuccinimide with toluene has been investigated and an atomic and free radical mechanism for the reactions of N‐haloimides in non‐polar media proposed. Because of the small steric factors of reactions between polyatomic particles, these reagents do not react directly, but act as a source of molecular halogen, which by an atomic mechanism leads to the observed reactions. This explains the long induction period, followed by a rapid reaction, the accelerating effect of HCl and H 2 O and the inhibition by O 2 . It accounts also for the well‐known specificity of compounds of this type to substitute in α to a double bond.