Inductive Effect on Free Radicals

[Maverick56]

Why don't Halogens stabilize a free radical? (Like in free radical halogenation).
I know they are electron-withdrawing so I don't understand why they dont stabilize the unpaired electron on the carbon.

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[eradicator]

Why don't Halogens stabilize a free radical? (Like in free radical halogenation).
I know they are electron-withdrawing so I don't understand why they dont stabilize the unpaired electron on the carbon.

The halogens pull electron density towards themselves (as you mentioned), therefore they are not donating their electrons to the radical and therefore are characterized as poor nucleophiles. For a radical to be stabilized it must react with an electron donating group. Tpshis is a typical reaction between an electrophile (the radical) and a nucleophile (the electron-donantiong groups).

Hope that helped...