The stabilisation of radicals by magnesium chloride

Abstract

Magnesium chloride forms complexes containing a substantial concentration of very stable free radicals when vigorously milled with an aromatic or polymeric material such as naphthalene, durene, or polyethylene, some of which are highly coloured and they are all typified by intense e.s.r. spectra; a few other metal halides, notably manganese(II) chloride and magnesium bromide, behave similarly to magnesium chloride in this respect although the spin density of their complexes is much inferior to those of the latter prepared under equivalent conditions.