Application of pulse radiolysis to the study of the chemistry of radical anions

The application of pulse radiolysis to the measurement of rates of reaction of aromatic and olefinic radical anions in organic solvents is discussed, emphasis being placed on the problem of reaction of the radical anion with the radiolytically-generated-counter ion. Some previous experiments of the authors that utilised tetrahydridoaluminate salts to scavenge the counter ion are reviewed. Some new data on the rates of electron transfer from aromatic-radical anions to some substituted styrenes are presented and experiments aimed at using organic amides as solvents for these studies are described.