Studies on Stable Free Radicals. IX. Peroxy Acid Oxidation of Hindered Secondary Amines to Nitroxide Radicals

The hindered secondary amines, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-oxopiperidine (II) and 1,9-diaza-2,2,8,8,10,10-hexamethyl-4-oxo-spiro[5.5]undecane (VI), were oxidized with m-chloroperbenzoic acid, and the corresponding hydroxylamine (III) and N-oxyl-hydroxylamine (VIII), respectively, were isolated. The further oxidation of III and VIII with the peracid afforded the corresponding nitroxide radical IV and IX, in good yields respectively. The stoichiometry of the oxidation reaction of the hydroxylamine III to the nitroxide radical IV was elucidated on the basis of the ESR signal intensities of oxidation products at various molar ratios with the peracid and III. An ESR study of the 1-15N-labelled N-oxyl-hydroxylamine (XII) indicated that there was an intramolecular hydrogen transfer between >N–OH and >N–O · groups in the N-oxyl-hydroxylamines VIII and XII.