The discovery of organic free radical, the triarylmethyl radical, was reported in JACS by Moses Gomberg in 1900.1 The report ended with an interesting statement. “This work will be continued”—that is great! But “and I wish to reserve the field…

Organic radicals are typically unstable at ambient conditions. A molecule with an unpaired electron was once thought impossible until Moses Gomberg proved otherwise in 1900. The history of the discovery of organic radical is fascinating and worthwhile reading.  The discovery…