Unusual inhibition effect of 1-(1-naphthyl)-1-methylethylhydroperoxide on the liquid-phase oxidation of isopropylarenes. GC-MS and theoretical studies of the thermal decomposition of 1-naphthyl- and 1-anthryl-1- methylethylhydroperoxides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/op0502351

All five possible 1-aryl-1methylethylhydroperoxides derived from naphthalene and anthracene were synthesized and their thermal decomposition in GC-MS conditions was investigated to explain the unusual inhibition effect of 1-(1-naphthyl)-1-methylethylhydroperoxide on the liquid-phase oxidation of isopropylarenes. 2-(1-Aryloxy)propenes were identified as the main decomposition products of 1-(1-naphthyl)-1-methylethylhydroperoride and 1-(1-anthryl)-1- methylethylhydroperoxide. The relatively unstable 2-aryloxypropenes have thus far never been described as thermal decomposition products of 1-aryl-1-methylethylhydroperoxides. The plausible mechanism of the formation of 2-(1-aryloxy)propenes was proposed on the basis of AM-1 calculations of the possible rearrangement paths of the alkoxy radicals derived from the investigated hydroperoxides. The mechanism explains the inhibition effect of 1-(1-naphthyl)-1-methylethylhydroperoxide on the oxidation of isopropylarenes.