Reaction mechanisms: radical and radical ion reactions

Abstract

Radicals and radical ions are involved as intermediates in numerous chemical processes that range from synthesis to reactions in biological systems. Knowledge of the mechanisms by which these different reactions proceed is therefore not only of fundamental importance for the development of new synthetic procedures, but is also crucial for the understanding of, for example, adverse effects of radical induced damage on human health. In the first part an overview on recent developments in synthetic radical chemistry will be given with special emphasis on oxidative and reductive processes under metal and metal-free conditions. Advances in the mechanistic understanding of radical reactions in biological systems will be described in the second part.