Linear correlation of vertical ionization energies and partial charges on acetaldehyde and methyl formate radicals in various solvents

Abstract We have studied the vertical ionisation energy (IE) and the partial charge on the carbonyl carbon atom of acetaldehyde and methyl formate radicals, in various solvents (i.e. cyclohexane, benzene, methanol, ethanol, DMSO, water, acetonitrile, THF, chloroform). We find a linear correlation between the IE and the partial charge on the carbonyle carbon of these radicals. This suggests that there is a small solvent effect on the rate of radical to carbocation formation for radicals such as acetaldehyde and methyl formate radicals, which can be explained on a simplified point charge model following Coulomb's law.