Thiol Catalysis of the Homolytic Decomposition of Aldehydes

Abstract

THE homolytic decarbonylation of aliphatic aldehydes regularly occurs at elevated temperatures in the vapour phase¹. We have studied this reaction with a number of aliphatic aldehydes in the liquid phase at 90°–120° C., using the Me₂C—CO₂Me free radical (produced by the thermal decomposition of dimethyl-2 : 2′-azo-isobutyrate) as the initiating catalyst, and have found that only about 5 per cent of these radicals are effective as dehydrogenators (1).