Free radical induced oxidation of alkoxyphenols: Some insights into the processes of photoyellowing of papers

Abstract
The photoyellowing of lignin-rich papers has been demonstrated to depend on the formation of phenoxyl radical intermediates and their ultimate conversion into various products, including quinones. Molecular oxygen has also been observed as a necessary adjunct to this process, although the mechanism is not understood. This work demonstrates the requirement for the reaction of O2 with active radical intermediates (in processes analogous to autoxidation reactions) in order for the photoyellowing of the phenolic moieties to occur. Photo-oxidations of a variety of alkoxyphenols and their reactions with model alkyl, alkoxy and alkylperoxy radicals are studied by CIDEP.

This publication has 12 references indexed in Scilit: