Neophyl radicals were generated by thermal decomposition in solution of azo compounds of the type [p-RC6H4C (CH3) 2-CH (CH,)-N= Iz where R= H, CH3O or CH&OSH. The rates of decomposition of the three compounds did not differ from each other by more than 31'%, from which it was concluded that the phenyl group did not participate appreciably in the dissociation of the carbon-nitrogen bond (the rate-determining step). The products ...
