File talk:Radical.svg

No matter how i see this image, it just looks incorrect; the radical should attack the terminal carbon and not the methyl group. 212.219.39.146 10:36, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

This is certainly true if you have a thermodynamic controlled reaction. However, in this case, it is different. Radicals are very reactive and react immediately (if they could). Surely, the other reaction (at theterminal carbon) also occurs, but imho this reaction has a higher probability, because this unsaturated carbon is closer to the radical in the reactant. From the chain reaction's point of view (if you have a terminal group that easily forms radicals), there is also a higher probability for the reaction shown in the figure, because there is less steric hindrance for a primary radical, compared to a secundary radical. Annabel 18:30, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

Yes, but in this reaction, wouldnt the formed compound be 1-propyl-cyclopentane? 212.219.39.146 17:54, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

Off course, the reaction product depends on your reactant. This figure is merely an illustration of an internal radical reaction. A typical reactant is 6-bromo-1-hexene. When the reaction is initiated (e.g. by a UV photon), you get the radical at the left. This reacts into the mehtylcyclopentane radical, which in return may (and will!) react with an other 6-bromo-1-hexene molecule. Hence, the chain is closed. If you have a better suggestion for a radical reaction, you're always welcome to upload an other figure. Annabel 18:48, 8 May 2007 (UTC)