Reactions of the Cumyloxyl Radical with Secondary Amides. The Influence of Steric and Stereoelectronic Effects on the Hydrogen Atom Transfer Reactivity and Selectivity

A time-resolved kinetic study of the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions from secondary alkanamides to the cumyloxyl radical was carried out in acetonitrile. HAT predominantly occurs from the N-alkyl α-C-H bonds, and a >60-fold decrease in kH was observed by increasing the steric hindrance of the acyl and N-alkyl groups. The role of steric and stereoelectronic effects on the reactivity and selectivity is discussed in the framework of HAT reactions from peptides.