Relative stability of 1-(4-R-2,6-dinitrophenyl)-2,2-diphenylhydrazides

Substitution of the nitro group for methyl in the position 4 of the picrylic fragment of 1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-2,2-diphenylhydrazyl increases the relative stability of hydrazyl radical in reaction with CH-acids. The reaction rate of 1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-2,2-diphenylhydrazyl with acetylacetone and ethyl acetoacetate is described with equations of first order with respect to the radical and the CH-acid and is determined by the energy of electron transfer from HOMO of CH-acid on LUMO of the radical, which is its acceptor.