Peroxides of elements other than carbon. Part XII. The autoxidation of optically active 1-phenylethylboronic acid

Abstract

Optically active 1-phenylethylboronic acid in benzene reacts with oxygen to give racemic dihydroxy-1-phenylethylperoxyborane. The reaction shows a marked induction period in the presence of copper(II)NN-dibutyldithiocarbamate and galvinoxyl. It is concluded that the autoxidation follows a radical chain mechanism, and not the polar cyclic process which is usually assumed.