2-Bromo-2-cyano-N,N-dimethylacetamide as a new brominating agent

It has been found that 2-bromo-2-cyano-N,N-dimethylacetamide is effective for monobromination at α-carbon of ketones with high selectivity. Effects of solvent and of radical initiator and scavenger are suggestive of radical mechanism.     

Photo-induced cellulose radicals capable of initiating graft copolymerization

The decay behavior of cellulose radicals produced by photo-irradiation at room temperature and the characteristics of photo-irradiated cellulose samples to initiate graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) were investigated. ESR spectra of such untreated, swollen, oximated, and ferric ion-sensitized samples irradiated at room temperature were constructed mainly of a single absorption line with a line width of 20 to 22 gauss and a g value of 2.003, and it is surely conceivable that the radicals showing a singlet spectrum should agree with those of alkoxy end produced at either the C₁ or C₄ position of the glucose unit by the scission of glucosidic bonds. The decay of radicals was accelerated by contact of various solvents with the samples, the activity decreasing in the order, water ≈ methanol ? acetone > dioxane. On the other hand, the decay of radicals by vinyl monomers became smaller in the order, methacrylic acid > MMA ≈ styrene. Graft copolymerization of MMA by a photo-irradiated sample was effectively initiated with the use of a certain amount of water or methanol, but not with acetone and dioxane. As no initiation can occur with the unirradiated sample, it is concluded that the initiation of graft copolymerization on the photo-irradiated sample is attributable to cellulose radicals showing a singlet spectrum which are formed in photo-irradiation at room temperature.     

Ability of poly(vinyl alcohol) fibers to initiate graft copolymerization

It was noted in a graft copolymerization reaction involving a system of poly(vinyl alcohol) fibers (PVA fibers), methyl methacrylate, and water that fibers oxidized with hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite or ferric ion-adsorbing fibers effectively initiate the reaction as in the case of cellulose fibers. The initiation reaction of the sample was markedly activated by the presence of a pretreatment with an oxidizing agent at a concentration on the order of 10^?9 mole/l., but the oxidized samples were sharply deactivated by such means as reduction and oximation. Since model initiators for the present system, such as iron(III) acetylacetonate-adsorbing PVA fibers or ferric ion-adsorbing fibres, with the co-existence of acetylacetone were observed to initiate graft copolymerization effectively, it is believed that carbonyl groups in modified PVA fibers could be a major factor for initiating copolymerization through interaction with metallic ions.