ESR studies on the reactions of sulphite radical anion,SO3.̄−, with nitroalkane compounds in aqueous solutions

The reactions of the sulphite radical anion, SO₃^{$\text{.}\text{?}$?} (generated from the Ti³⁺-H₂O₂-Na₂SO₃ system at pH 9), in aqueous solutions with some nitroalkane compounds were investigated by using a rapid-mixing flow technique coupled with electron spin resonance (ESR) which can detect the radicals having a lifetime of 5–100 ms. The SO₃^{$\text{.}\text{?}$?} radical added to the double bond of CN in the nitroalkane aci-anions which are the main form of nitroalkanes in aqueous alkaline solutions. From the observed hyperfine splitting constants of the SO₃^{$\text{.}\text{?}$?} adducts of nitroalkane aci-anions, the preferred conformation of the adducts was deduced.