An electron spin resonance study of the autoxidation of naphthols in the presence of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

A number of radicals have been obtained from polyhydroxylated naphthalenes in alkaline solution by means of autoxidation, and their e.s.r. coupling constants have been measured. A new way of generating radicals derived from naphthalene-1,2-diol is reported in which alkaline hydrogen peroxide is used, and a mechanism for the observed transformation is proposed. Radicals can be obtained from resorcinols in an analogous way.