Studies on reactivity of benzoyl and benzoylperoxy radicals produced by laser flash photolysis of dibenzoyldiazene in aerated solutions

Photolysis of dibenzoyldiazene gives benzoyl radicals. In aerated solutions, the benzoyl radicals react with oxygen to yield benzoylperoxy radicals. Spin trapping studies indicate that 5,5′dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide reacts with the benzoylperoxy radicals to produce the adduct which exhibits ESR parameters, AN = 13.8 G and AHβ = 10.1 G. Laser photolysis studies reveal that the rate constants for the reaction between the benzoyl radical and oxygen are ca. 4 × 109 M-1 s-1 in toluene, acetone, and ethyl acetate. The benzoylperoxy radicals undergo one-electron oxidation of tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, TMPD, to give an ion pair. The ion pair has an absorption spectrum similar to that of the TMPD cation radical. The formation of the ion pair is detected by monitoring the absorbance change at 600 nm after laser pulsing. From the kinetic studies for the formation of the ion pair in the presence of olefins, the bimolecular rate constants for reactions between several olefins and the benzoylperoxy radical are determined. The electrophilic addition of the benzoylperoxy radicals to olefins is discussed in comparison with the addition reactions of thiyl radicals to olefins. The detection and determination of the dipole moments of both the benzoylperoxy radicals and the ion pair are carried out with the use of the time-resolved microwave dielectric absorption technique. The distance between the positive and negative ions in the ion pair is estimated as 0.20 nm.