The Reaction of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl With Secondary Amines

The reaction of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) with N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine, N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine, diphenylamine, and methylaniline has been studied and has been shown to be primarily a hydrogen abstraction process. Two moles DPPH react with 1–1.15 moles secondary amine to give 1.7–1.8 moles 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine and further products.The reaction between DPPH and N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine is first order with respect to each reactant. The reaction of DPPH with the other amines is retarded by the major product 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine and the kinetics of the over-all reaction are complex. However second-order rate constants and activation energies have been obtained using initial rates of reaction. Possible reaction mechanisms are discussed.