The tetraalkylation of N-benzylphthalimide is the major yield limiting step in the common synthetic route to isoindoline nitroxides. The progress of this reaction was found to be limited by the formation of previously unobserved mono- and dialkyl side products that do not lead to the desired product. The yield for the tetraalkylation of N-benzylphthalimide with ethylmagnesium iodide could be increased (60 % over two steps) when a stepwise addition sequence was employed. The new two-step synthesis offers a practical preparative scale alternative to the current approach.

The scope was to synthesize novel pyridine-annulated heterocyclic nitroxides via a convenient route. • Nitroxide yields were smaller due to the Grignard step in the synthetic route.

Evidences for the presence of interactions between a widely used fungicide called thiram and Cr(VI) ions have been obtained by an electrochemical and spectroscopic approach. The highest absorbance (894 nm) and the peak current (Cyclic Voltammetry) have been detected when the equimolarconcentrated solutions of thiram and Cr(VI) were mixed in the ratio of 2:1. The interactions in the aforementioned mixture were further confirmed by FTIR studies.