Reactivity of sulphur-centered radicals with indolinonic and quinolinic aminoxyls.

Indolinonic, phenylimino-indolinonic and quinolinic aromatic aminoxyls readily react with sulfur-centered radicals, generated upon reaction with p- methylthiophenol at room temperature The main product is the deoxygenated derivative i.e the corresponding amine. The other compounds, obtained in low yields, are N-substituted amines and amines substituted in a conjugated position with respect to the amino group by arylthiyl, arylsulphinyl, arylsulphonyl and arylsulphonyloxy radicals. The formation of the products are explained by the initial attack of the thiophenol radical onto the NO· function to give an unstable adduct which decomposes to aminyl and arylsulphinyl radicals. From here the reaction can take two different routes to give the products obtained.