Peroxides of elements other than carbon. Part XIV. The mechanism of the autoxidation of organic compounds of lithium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, and aluminium

Abstract

The autoxidation of dimethylcadmium and of diethylzinc is inhibited by galvinoxyl and then initiated by copper salts. The inhibition is less pronounced in the autoxidation of trimethyl- and triphenyl-aluminium, and could not be observed with 1-methylheptyl- or 1-naphthyl-magnesium bromide, or butyl-lithium, probably because the organometallic compounds react rapidly with the inhibitor. It is concluded that these autoxidations proceed by a free-radical chain mechanism which does not involve a long-lived oxygen complex.