rev drone
Member posted 12-15-1999 07:49 AM
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Not likely. The free radical intermediate is rather short-lived, with the more stable carbanion being quickly formed in the electron-rich medium of the dissolved metal solution.
Or something like that.
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-the good reverend drone
rev drone
Member posted 12-15-1999 07:57 AM
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Oh, I forgot to add the other reason why: I think you're imagining two molar equivalents of the short-lived free radical intermediates pairing up to form a sigma bond between them. However, one free radical attacking another free radical with the same electron properties isn't going to be very likely -- I've honestly never seen an example of any reaction mechanism in organic chemistry fitting that description.
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-the good reverend drone
Niels Bohr
Member posted 12-15-1999 12:29 PM
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I thought that the Birch reaction was one where nobody has really figured out the mechanism of how it takes place? I think that is what my old O-Chem instructor told me.