Substituent Effects in Radical Chemistry (1986)

Respectably old radical chemistry which plays a rna jor role in life-processes, both desired (breathing, ... ) and non-desired (in- flammatory diseases, ageing, ... ) has been gaining new youth in the past decade. Modern spectroscopy and other physical methods, recent advances in computational methods as well as impressive and mechanistically well-understood syntheses have led to a number of spectacular deve- lopments in the field of radical chemistry. The impact of these achi- evements will reach far beyond the field of organic chemistry, for example into biology and medicine. New facts and concepts in this rapidly expanding field deserved discussion among a number of leading experts present at the Workshop both for the information and constructive criticism. This happened during a particular brainstorming session and some of the impressions and reflections exchanged are recorded in the Epilogue. Indeed the topic chosen seems to be quintessential for the whole radical chemistry understanding and exploiting (single and multiple) substituent effects on radicals. We had the honour to organise this Workshop because some years ago, in collaboration with L. Stella, we became involved in radical stabi- lising effects when both a donor and an acceptor (captor) groups are present on a C-radical. This leads to an enhanced stabilisation which we called the captodative effect and we have endeavoured the first extensi ve investigation of this effect on carbon centered radicals.