The Persistent Triphenylmethyl Free Radical
[caption id="attachment_19350" align="alignright" width="440"] Three phenyl groups plus an unpaired electron are bonded to a central carbon.[/caption] The persistent triphenylmethyl free radical. What is it? What is a free radical and how, and in what sense, is this one "persistent"? The term free radical is a household word, due to its association with food and with body health. Although the expression is bandied about, the public at large does not know what it means. It relates to the concept of atoms, molecules, and electrons. A chemical free radical is defined as a molecule having no net electrical charge, that nevertheless, has at least one unpaired valence electron. Do you find this definition hard to follow? Continue reading and view the hyperlinked graphic model, cited in the following paragraph. [sc name="MidArticleAdsense"]…