Question

HBr can be added to an alkene in the presence of peroxides (ROOR). What function does the peroxide serve in this reaction

Answer 1

Radical chain initiator

Step-by-step explanation:

The peroxide here serves as a radical chain initiator. In the field of chemistry the radical initiatives are those substances that are used in industrial processes like polymer synthesis. These initiatives have weak bonds generally and they're mostly used to create free radicals. These radicals are atoms that have odd numbers of electrons. Peroxide is an example of such.