Abstract
From the pH-dependence of the hydroxy proton splitting in the electron spin resonance spectra of the free radical ·CH2OH in acidified aqueous solutions a rapid exchange of the hydroxy protons is detected. This exchange is explained by the reaction ·CH2OH+H3O+⇆·CH2OH2 ++H2O with a rate constant k=1.76×108 l.mol-1 sec-1 at 17°c.