Positive muons as probes in liquid phase free radical chemistry: Radical structures and reaction rates

Muonium-substituted organic free radicals are observed by muon spin rotation when positive muons are stopped in liquid unsaturated compounds. From muon precession frequencies in high external magnetic fields the isotropic muon-electron hyperfine coupling constants are determined. They lead to radical structure assignments. Results of a variety of projects are described which show thatSR can successfully complement conventional physical methods of free radical chemistry: A study of the temperature dependence of the coupling constants of isotopically substituted ethyl radicals yields information on structure and barriers to internal rotation. Rate constants for several radical reactions are extracted from the damping of theSR signals, in particular for unimolecular rearrangements and cis-trans-isomerizations. The theory for the analysis for the case of reversible site exchange is outlined.All results described here were obtained by E. Roduner, P. Burkhard and W. Strub of this laboratory, and B. Webster, M. Ramos and D. McKenna of the University of Glasgow. We all appreciate support from the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research, the National Institut for Scientific Investigations of Portugal, the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, the Royal Society London and SIN.