Abstract

This review aims at demonstrating the enormousscope of 2,2,6,6-tetraalkylpiperidine N-O compounds (nitroxideradicals and N-alkoxyamines) both in academia and inindustrial applications. Beyond classical TEMPO-catalysedoxidation reactions, these substances may for instance beapplied as carbon radical scavengers, polymerisation initiators,spin labels, in materials science, biological processes, proteinanalytics, or for the stabilisation of polymers. In a first part, recentapplications of N-oxyl compounds (mainly TEMPO and itsderivatives) in synthetic organic chemistry will be presented. Ina subsequent part (next issue), the reader will be familiarisedwith the use of nitroxide radicals and the closely-relatedN-alkoxyamines in an industrial context as well as in intriguingand upcoming academic fields.