Various Ozonides of Rubber and the General Question of the Existence of Primary Ozonides
Abstract Harries was the first to make use of ozone cleavage at the carbon double bond of unsaturated compounds as an important method of research in organic chemistry. However, the formula (see PDF for diagram) of Harries, which is founded on its analogy with the products of other addition reactions, rests on scanty experimental data. One of the chief arguments against the formula is the absence of glycols as reaction products by the action of the most varied types of reducing agents. This latter fact, in conjunction with certain polymerization phenomena, led Staudinger to propose an isoozonide type of formula, in which the carbon chain has been opened, thus (see PDF for diagram) According to Staudinger, these isoozonides are formed very readily by transposition from primary or molozonides, and they are stable compounds. On the contrary, some molozonides are stabilized by polymerization. The constitution of butylene ozonide was proved synthetically by Rieche and Meister to be that of an isoozonide, and today the isoozonide formula has received general acceptance. In spite of these facts, some of the results of Harries, on which he based his original ozonide formula, remain unchallenged; for instance, the fact that when heated the ozonide of mesityl oxide reverts to mesityl oxide, and the fact that fumaric acid forms with ozone a loose compound from which ozone is liberated easily. In view of this, it appeared as if the Harries formula would really turn out to be the correct one, and that stable molozonides should exist.