Hydrogen Abstraction From Unactivated Hydrocarbons Using a Photochemically Excited Isoindoline Nitroxide

The photochemically excited nitroxide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylisoindolin-2-yloxyl (1*), abstracts primary, secondary or tertiary hydrogens from unactivated hydrocarbons including cyclohexane, isobutane and n-butane. The resultant carbon-centred radicals are rapidly and efficiently trapped by ground state nitroxide. Hydrogen abstraction from methane may also occur, but is masked by secondary photochemical reactions.