PEROXIDES OF ELEMENTS OTHER THAN CARBON .16. AUTOXIDATION OF EPIMERIC NORBORNYLMAGNESIUM HALIDES

The autoxidation of norborn-2-ylmagnesium bromide (41% exo-59% endo, and ca. 100% endo) and chloride (43% exo-57% endo) gave in all three cases a mixture of norborn-2-ylperoxy-compounds similar to that (76% exo-24% endo) obtained in the autoxidation of exo- or endo-norbornylboranes, where there was independent evidence for a radical chain mechanism. The reaction of the Grignard reagent probably also follows a homolytic mechanism but a carbanion chain cannot be excluded. The kinetics of the epimerisation of endo-norborn-2-ylmagnesium bromide have been determined.