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Chemistry LibreTexts

Radical

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A radical or free radical is a species that has one or more unpaired electrons.

eg. 1: Hydrogen atom
electron configuration of the hydrogen atom:

radical1.png

eg. 2: Chlorine atom
electron configuration of the chlorine atom:

radical2.png

eg. 3: Oxygen molecule
electron configuration of the oxygen molecule:

radical3.png

eg. 4:

radical4.png

eg. 5:

radical5.png

Some radicals are resonance-stabilized.

eg:

radical6.png

A radical that has two unpaired electrons is called a diradical (eg. 3).

see also alkyl radical, allylic radical, benzylic radical


This page titled Radical is shared under a All Rights Reserved (used with permission) license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Gamini Gunawardena via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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