Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Initiator:
An agent that
initiates
(starts) a
chain reaction
.
Free radical
bromination
of
methane (CH
4
)
with
molecular
bromine (Br
2
). Light (
hν
) is the initiator.
Allylic
chlorination
of
cyclohexene
with
N
-chlorosuccinimide (NCS)
.
Benzoyl peroxide
is the initiator.
Related terms:
Peroxide
,
peroxide effect
,
chain initiation
,
chain propagation
,
chain termination
,
polymerization
,
inhibitor
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