Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Reactivity-selectivity principle:
There is an inverse relationship between the reactivity of a species (such as
free radical
or
carbocation
) and the selectivity in the resultant reaction.
Fluorine
radical
is less stable, more reactive, and therefore less selective, than bromine
radical
.
Free radical fluorination
of
methyl
cyclohexane
produces a mixture of
products
. This reaction is not
regioselective
.
Compare this with
free radical bromination
, which produces 1-bromo
methyl
cyclohexane
almost exclusively. This reaction is highly
regioselective
.
Related terms:
Reactive intermediate
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