Magnetic field as a means to identify initiating reaction in oxidation of organic substances with molecular oxygen

Oxidation of olefins is initiated by addition of oxygen at the π-bond with formation of triplet biradical; therefore, dioxetane formation becomes dominant due to the Zeeman interaction stimulating triplet–singlet conversion through the T–S transition, with the contribution of the radical initiation being lower. In the case of saturated compounds, the Zeeman interaction results in the absence of the magnetic field effect on the rate of radical formation since the chain initiation is ruled by the hydrogen atom abstraction.