Tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl—a relatively stable saturated organic radical

Abstract

Tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl (II), prepared from the corresponding bromide or mercurial, is a relatively long-lived free radical: photolysis of the mercurial (V) to give (II) is believed to provide the first example of an e.s.r. spectrum of a radical produced directly by photolysis of an organomercurial.