Rearrangements of free radicals during 2-naphthol synthesis from 2-isopropylnaphthalene

The rearrangements of free radicals originated from 2-(2-naphthyl)-1-methylethylhydroperoxide and 2-(1-naphthyl)-1-methylethylhydroperoxide, i.e. from the molecules involved in the process of production of 2-naphthol from 2-isopropylnaphthalene, were investigated using theoretical methods (DFT). Moreover, the study was aimed at finding origins of inhibition of the process of 2-isopropenyloxynapthalene oxidation due to the contamination of raw material with 1-isopropylnaphthalene (1-IPN). It has been found that one of the reaction paths involving the rearrangement of a free radical originated from 1-IPN can be responsible for the process of inhibition.