Flash Photolysis Study on the Addition Reaction of Alkylthiyl Radical to Olefins

The transient absorption band appearing at 370 nm by flash photolysis of di-t-butyl dusilfide was assigned to the t-butylthiyl radical. Photolyses of the disulfide solutions containing olefins such as 1,1-diphenylethylene and styrene gave new transient bands in a wavelength region similar to that of the diphenylmethyl radical and benzyl radical, respectively. These new bands can be attributed to the radicals produced by the addition of the thiyl radical to olefins; (Ph)2–CH2–SR and H(Ph)C–CH2–SR. Kinetic studies including the addition of the thiyl radical to olefins were performed.