EPR Study of Radical Reactions of Secondary Amines in Liquid Phase

In the framework of Ph.D. thesis the evaluation of radical reactions of four groups of secondary amines R1–NH–R2 in the presence of some selected types of agents was performed using EPR spectroscopy. First group was represented by peroxoagents (3-chloroperbenzoic acid, tBuO2 radicals), the second group involved compounds of PbIV+ (PbO2, Pb(OAc)4) functioning as hydrogen-abstracting agents. In the presence of peroxyagents the formation of corresponding aminoxyl radicals R1–NO–R2 was demonstrated. In the case of surplus of tBuO2 radicals these radicals enter the consecutive reactions which products are new types of secondary aminoxyls. By the interpretation of reaction mechanism the intermediary formation of nitrones was assumed. These function in later steps of the reaction as spin traps for tBuO2 radicals. By the study of radical mechanism of amines R1–NH–R2 initiated by PbIV+ agents was proved, that these compounds hydrogen atom not only from –NH– group under formation of aminyl radicals, but also from C–H bonds in substituents R1, R2 (the formation of C-radicals). Because both groups of the radicals formed are characterized by high reactivity, their identification was possible only using spin-trapping method. In the course of the investigation of radical reactions of secondary amines the big amount of experimental EPR spectra was obtained. These exhibited in many cases very high hyperfine structure. Due to this fact it was necessary to perform the detailed evaluation on the basis of spectral simulation. Except of some special cases using this approach the interpretation of majority of registered EPR spectra was interpreted and EPR parameters were summarized in tables