Abstract: Cyclopropyl nitrite esters decompose homolytically at very low temperatures (-80 to f20") compared to ordinary aliphatic nitrite esters. The relative stability of the esters and the direction of ring opening are dependent upon the substitution pattern of the cyclopropanol. Those nitrite esters which give, upon ring opening, the most stable radicals decompose at the lowest temperatures. It is concluded that homolysis of the 0-N bond of the nitrite ester ...
