Radicals are unstable, highly reactive species which have an unpaired electron.
Often this occurs via a radical chain process, that is, a new radical at a different site is generated concomitantly with bond formation. Our goal is to find new ways to produce radicals from highly oxidized carbon species. We are trying to produce radicals in a reductive environment in a manner which is compatible with carbon carbon bond formation. This is a quite important area of inquiry because C-C bonds are among the hardest to make in organic chemistry. Many research groups around the world are engaged in similar quests.