Gomberg Free Radical Reaction

Abstract

The generation of triphenylmethyl radical is referred to as the Gomberg reaction. It has been found that the triarylmethyl radicals demonstrate different colors while changing temperature, as in quinonoidation. It has been reported that radicals might even be formed during the preparation of Grignard reagents at the initial stage when iodine was used as a catalyst. Up to now, many efficient and convenient methods have been developed to generate free radicals, such as reduction; oxidation; pyrolysis of peroxides, acyl peroxides, and azo compounds; photo irradiation; and trialkylaluminium or trialkylboranes.