Recent Advances in Distonic Radical Cation Chemistry: Focus on α-Ammonio Radicals

Distonic radical cations are an underexplored class of reactive species in which the radical and cationic centers are spatially separated within the same molecule. Among them, the α-ammonio radical exhibits unique reactivity inaccessible to conventional neutral radicals. This short review summarizes the characteristic reactivity patterns of α-ammonio radicals, tracing their historical development and highlighting recent advances. Selected state-of-the-art examples demonstrate that these distonic radical cations are promising next-generation intermediates offering access to transformations beyond the reach of classical radical chemistry.