What are radicals?
What are radicals?
This is the simplest definition.
A radical is a chemical species that contains an unpaired electron. In the past such species were often called "free radicals".
Radicals are usually formed when a single covalent bond breaks to leave an unpaired electron on each of the two species created by the bond breaking: this is called homolysis.
Homolysis is shown in the diagram below, where a single electron moves from the bond to each atom, producing radicals A. and B..
Dots are placed on radical species to show that they possess a single, unpaired electron.
Cleaving a chemical bond requires energy to be input, such as heat or light. In general, radicals are highly reactive and form new bonds again very quickly.
A radical may be electrically neutral, positively charged (radical cation) or negatively charged (radical anion).
This is the simplest definition.
A radical is a chemical species that contains an unpaired electron. In the past such species were often called "free radicals".
Radicals are usually formed when a single covalent bond breaks to leave an unpaired electron on each of the two species created by the bond breaking: this is called homolysis.
Homolysis is shown in the diagram below, where a single electron moves from the bond to each atom, producing radicals A. and B..
Dots are placed on radical species to show that they possess a single, unpaired electron.
Cleaving a chemical bond requires energy to be input, such as heat or light. In general, radicals are highly reactive and form new bonds again very quickly.
A radical may be electrically neutral, positively charged (radical cation) or negatively charged (radical anion).
