Mechanisms of Reaction of Aminoxyl (Nitroxide), Iminoxyl, and Imidoxyl Radicals with Alkenes and Evidence that in the Presence of Lead Tetraacetate, <i>N</i>-Hydroxyphthalimide Reacts with Alkenes by Both Radical and Nonradical Mechanisms

1,2-Dideuterio-cyclohexene, 1,2-dideuterio-cyclooctene, and trans-3,4-dideuterio-hex-3-ene were reacted with three >NO• radicals: 4-hydroxyTempo, di-tert-butyliminoxyl, both used as the actual radicals, and phthalimide-N-oxyl (PINO) generated from N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) by its reaction with tert-alkoxyl radicals (t-RO•) and with lead tetraacetate. In all cases, except the NHPI/Pb(OAc)4 system, only mono >NO-substituted alkenes were produced. The 2H NMR spectra imply that 88−92% of monoadducts were formed by the initial abstraction of an allylic H-atom, followed by capture of the allylic radical by a second >NO•, while the remaining 12−8% appear to be formed by an initial addition of >NO• to the double bond followed by H-atom abstraction by a second >NO•. A substantial and sometimes the major product formed with the NHPI/Pb(OAc)4 system has two PINO moieties added across the double bond. Since such diadducts are not formed with the NHPI/t-RO• system, a heterolytic mechanism is proposed, analogous to that known for the Pb(OAc)4-induced acetoxylation of alkenes. A detailed analysis of the NHPI/Pb(OAc)4/alkene products indicates that monosubstitution occurs by both homolytic and heterolytic processes.