Aryl radical

An aryl radical in

The mushroom Stephanospora caroticolor is suspected to generate an aryl radical as part of its biological chemical defence mechanism.

Spectroscopy

The parent phenyl radical has been identified by

Reactions

Aryl radicals are very reactive and are found in many different reactions. Hydrogen-atom abstraction is considered a side reaction. Several reactions of synthetic utility in which aryl radicals feature are:

• Halogen transfer
• reaction with electron-deficient alkenes in the Meerwein arylation
• biaryl couplings
• Sandmeyer reactions
• addition to
  iminium ions
• addition to sulfur dioxide

References