Abstract
Cyanoisopropyl radical derived from azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) by either thermolysis or photolysis reacts with oxygen to give cyanoisopropylperoxy radical which then was converted to acetone and cyano radical and/or acetyl cyanide and methyl radical. Of these products, acetone formed was quantitatively determined by the addition of thianthrene cation radical perchlorate to the reaction mixture. The results showed that 55.7 mmol, 16.9 mmol, and 16.0 mmol of acetone were formed for 7 hours from 1 mol of AIBN at $82{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ in acetonitrile, carbon tetrachloride, and benzene, respectively. However, 22.2 mmol of acetone was formed from photolysis of 1 mmol of AIBN in acetonitrile. The value decreased to 13.2 mmol by bubbling argon into the solvent prior to photolysis.