Temperature dependent reaction pathways in the addition of silyl, germyl, stannyl and plumbyl radicals to maleic anhydride and related compounds: an ESR study

Abstract

The addition of Group IVB organometallic radicals to maleic anhydride, maleic thioanhydride, maleimide and N-methyl maleimide has been investigated by ESR spectroscopy. For Si and Ge centred radicals the reaction pathway has been found to be temp dependent, the addition of the organometallic radical occurring at the CC double bond at lower temps at either of the two CO groups at higher temps. For Sn and Pb centred radicals only the latter spin adducts could be detected even at low temp.