An analysis has been made of the question of the generation of radicals by bimolecular reactions of the type RH + CH2 = CHR --> R＇ + CH3CHR and RH + O = CR1R2 --> R-. + HOCR1R2. A semi-empirical method - a parabolic model of the bimolecular reaction - has been used to calculate the activation energies and pre-exponential factors for 33 reactions of this kind. An examination has been made of the role of these reactions in chain processes of hydrocarbon cracking, radical polymerization and olefin oxidation. An analysis has been made of the question of the generation of radicals by the reaction of p-benzoquinone with hydrocarbons and hydroperoxides. The rate constants have been calculated for 26 reactions of this kind. The role of these reactions in the phenol-inhibited oxidation of hydrocarbons is discussed.