The frequently overlooked importance of solvent in free radical syntheses.

Chem Soc Rev 40(5):2157-63 (2011) PMID 21344074

This tutorial review is designed to dispel the myth, still believed by many synthetic organic chemists, that radical-based syntheses are free from significant solvent effects. However, many synthetically valuable radical reactions do exhibit large kinetic solvent effects. It is therefore important to select the solvent for any proposed radical synthesis with considerable care if good product yields are to be achieved.