Electron Spin Resonance Study of the Solvent Effect on the Conformation of Some Iminoxy Radicals

The reaction of nitrogen dioxide with carbonyl compounds having a methylene or vinyl group adjacent to the corbonyl leads to the formation of stable iminoxy radicals^1-3. Evidence^1,2,4 has been presented that the precursor of these iminoxy radicals is probably the corresponding oxime formed by rearrangements of the intermediate nitroso compounds. There have also been reports on the e.s.r. detection of some cis-trans isomers of some iminoxy radicals in methanol or in neat liquid^1,5. We wish to report here a drastic solvent effect on the conformations of some iminoxy radicals formed by the reaction of NO₂ with trifluoroacetylacetone.