Abstract
The structures of alkyl radicals generated in several methyl esters of fatty acids by irradiation with UV light were studied by the spin trapping technique. A spin trap, deuterated nitrosodurene, traps alkyl radicals in both saturated and unsaturated esters at the ambient temperature. The trapped radicals and their hyperfine splitting constants from several esters were as follows: pentadienyl radicals (aN=13.8-14.0G, aH=5.9-6.0G) from methyl linoleate, linolenate and docosahexaenoate; allyl radicals (aN=13.9G, aH=6.8 G) and α-carbon radicals (aN=13.3G, aH=10.0G) from methyl oleate and elaidate;α-carbon radicals (aN=13.3-13.4G, aH=9.6-10.0G) and secondary alkyl radicals (aN=13.9G, aH=6.8-7.2G) from saturated esters.
