This chapter covers organic compounds prepared via intermediates which are alkyl peroxyl radicals (ROO') generated either by addition of ground state (triplet) oxygen to carbon-centered radicals, or by hydrogen atom abstraction from the corresponding hydroperoxides (ROOH). While some earlier work is briefly mentioned, the focus is primarily on new developments, published over the past decade or so. The emphasis is heavily on synthetic applications rather than physical, biological and environmental aspects of peroxyl radical chemistry. A book exclusively devoted to the latter topics has recently been published [l]. Some preparatively relevant pathways involving peroxyl radicals have been previously discussed in the context of reviews on the oxidation of organic molecules [2-41 and the synthesis of organic peroxides [5][6][7][8]. The present survey is clearly distinguished in scope; it is intended to cover a more diverse array of peroxyl radical pathways and to highlight recent applications in the field of natural product synthesis. The aim is to alert not only the peroxide specialist, but also the synthetic chemist in general, since the first-formed peroxidic products can be used as relay intermediates in the synthesis of nonperoxidic compounds.
Autoxidation of HydrocarbonsThe oxidation of hydrocarbons and other organic molecules with oxygen or air is usually referred to as autoxidation [4, 7a, 91. This entirely atom-economical process (Eq. 1, Scheme 1) is ca. 18-24 kcal/mol exothermic and irreversible at temperatures below 250°C. Although the initiation step (Eq. 2) is not well understood [2, lo], it is clear that a chain radical process is involved, with addition of molecular oxygen to R as the initial propagation step (Eq. 3 ) . At oxygen pressures above 100 mm Hg, the reaction of R' with 0 2 proceeds with rate constants approaching the diffusioncontrol limit [7a, 9a]. The second propagation step involves hydrogen atom abstrac-
Radicals in Organic Synthesis Edited