An electron spin resonance study of fatty acids and esters. Part 2. Hydrogen abstraction from saturated acids and their derivatives

The radicals generated from saturated fatty acids and their derivatives by hydrogen abstraction with photochemically formed t-butoxyi radicals have been investigated. These arise from the various methylene groups in the acids. The relative rates of abstraction from the methylene groups in the α-position, the position adjacent to the terminal methyl, and the remaining chain positions are 2:2:1, respectively, at 290 K, for acids of chain length >C₆. With propanoic acid, butanoic acid, and butanonitrile, hydrogen abstraction at the α-methylene group predominates. With 1-lauroyl-2-myristoyl-3- palmitoyl-rac-glycerol, enhanced attack at the position adjacent to the terminal methyl was observed.