Antiradical activity of dioxolane derivatives

1,3-Benzodioxoles synthesized by condensation of 3,6-di-tert-butylbenzene-1,2-diol with carbonyl compounds showed antiradical activity due to their ability to undergo one-electron oxidation with formation of stable radical cations. On this basis, the antiknock effect of their structural analogs, 1,3-dioxolanes derived from vicinal diols, was interpreted in terms of oxidation of these compounds with active radicals generated from fuel hydrocarbons to produce more stable radical or radical ion species, depending on the fuel composition. The formation of radical species was detected in model oxidation reactions of 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethanol with radicals generated by photolysis of iron(III) chloride and benzoyl peroxide.