Reaction of Paramagnetic Synthon, Lithiated 4,4,5,5-Tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-1-oxyl 3-oxide, with Cyclic Aldonitrones of the Imidazole Series

Spirobifluorene Mediating the Spin-Spin Coupling of Nitronyl Nitroxide Diradicals

To investigate the mechanism of this spiro conjugation magnetic behavior, we designed and synthesized three diradicals─22'SBF-NN, 44'SBF-NN, and 27SBF-NN. They are bridged by spirobifluorene and nitronyl nitroxide (NN) diradicals as the spin centers. Notably, by SQUID and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) zero-field splitting data analyses, the 22'SBF-NN and 27SBF-NN diradicals exhibit intramolecular, distinctly antiferromagnetic (AF) coupling, with 2J_(22'SBF-NN)/k_B = -5.86 K and 2J_(27SBF-NN)/k_B = -24.6 K, respectively. The AF of 22'SBF-NN is opposite to that predicted by the spin density alternation rule based on Hund's rule. Diradical intramolecular conjugation coupling bridged by spiro-carbon conjugation is discussed, in which the 22'SBF-NN is smaller than that of 27SBF-NN, corresponding to the room-temperature EPR characterization. This spiro conjugation is weaker than the traditional planar conjugation and generally leads to a weaker spin-spin coupling in the helical biradical molecule. The EPR spectrum of the 44'SBF-NN diradical shows a deformed nine-line curve, indicating intramolecular exchange coupling. The density functional theory calculation gives a very weak coupling constant of 2J_calc/k_B = 0.06 K, with ferromagnetic (FM) interaction as the proof, which is consistent with the spin-polarized prediction. Further analysis of magnetic susceptibility χ_m and VT-EPR data shows that there is indeed an extremely weak FM interaction in the 44' position diradical. We find the bridge, which is a 44' substituted SBF structure, blocks the conjugation and contains a larger twist in steric hindrance, which also hampers sufficient spin density delocalization, resulting in a much weaker spin coupling interaction. Combined with the analysis of molecular orbital calculation results, the anomalous intramolecular AF coupling mechanism of 22'SBF-NN is further explained.

Platform for High-Spin Molecules: A Verdazyl-Nitronyl Nitroxide Triradical with Quartet Ground State

Thermally resistant air-stable organic triradicals with a quartet ground state and a large energy gap between spin states are still unique compounds. In this work, we succeeded to design and prepare the first highly stable triradical, consisting of oxoverdazyl and nitronyl nitroxide radical fragments, with a quartet ground state. The triradical and its diradical precursor were synthesized via a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of diiodoverdazyl with nitronyl nitroxide-2-ide gold(I) complex. Both paramagnetic compounds were fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, EPR spectroscopy in various matrices, and cyclic voltammetry. In the diradical, the verdazyl and nitronyl nitroxide centers demonstrated full reversibility of redox process, while for the triradical, the electrochemical reduction and oxidation proceed at practically the same redox potentials, but become quasi-reversible. A series of high-level CASSCF/NEVPT2 calculations was performed to predict inter- and intramolecular exchange interactions in crystals of di- and triradicals and to establish their magnetic motifs. Based on the predicted magnetic motifs, the temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility were analyzed, and the singlet-triplet (135 ± 10 cm^-1) and doublet-quartet (17 ± 2 and 152 ± 19 cm^-1) splitting was found to be moderate. Unique high stability of synthesized verdazyl-nitronylnitroxide triradical opens new perspectives for further functionalization and design of high-spin systems with four or more spins.

Ferromagnetically Coupled S=1 Chains in Crystals of Verdazyl-Nitronyl Nitroxide Diradicals

Thermally stable organic diradicals with a triplet ground state along with large singlet-triplet energy gap have significant potential for advanced technological applications. A series of phenylene-bridged diradicals with oxoverdazyl and nitronyl nitroxide units were synthesized via a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of iodoverdazyls with a nitronyl nitroxide-2-ide gold(I) complex with high yields. The diradicals exhibit high stability and do not decompose in an inert atmosphere up to 180 °C. For the diradicals, both substantial AF (ΔE_ST ≈-64 cm^-1 ) and FM (ΔE_ST ≥25 and 100 cm^-1 ) intramolecular exchange interactions were observed. The sign of the exchange interaction is determined both by the bridging moiety (para- or meta-phenylene) and by the type of oxoverdazyl block (C-linked or N-linked). Upon crystallization, diradicals with the triplet ground state form unique one-dimensional exchange-coupled chains with strong intra- and weak inter-diradical ferromagnetic coupling.

Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of (Pyrrolidin-1-oxyl)-(Nitronyl Nitroxide)/(Iminonitroxide)-Dyads

Unlike extensively studied diradicals linked by π-conjugated systems, only a few studies have investigated weakly coupled diradicals linked by an sp³ carbon atom. Herein, we prepared pyrrolidin-1-oxyl-(nitronyl nitroxide)-dyad 5 and pyrrolidin-1-oxyl-iminonitroxide-dyad 6. From the observed temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility, 5 and 6 were determined to be in singlet ground states with 2J_intra /k_B =-35.2 K and -13.6 K, respectively. From these results and theoretical calculations of related diradicals, the spin-polarization model counting the small spin density of the sp³ carbon atom could be used as a spin-prediction model.

Triplet Diradical-Cation Salts Consisting of the Phenothiazine Radical Cation and a Nitronyl Nitroxide

The spin-spin and magnetic properties of two (nitronyl nitroxide)-(di-p-anisylamine-phenothiazine) diradical cation salts, (DAA-PTZ)⁺ -NN⋅MBr₄ ^- (M=Ga, Fe), have been investigated. These diradical-cation species were prepared by the cross-coupling of iodophenothiazine DAA-PTZ-I with NN-AuPPh₃ followed by oxidation with the thianthrenium radical cation (TA⁺ ⋅MBr₄ ^- ). These salts were found to be highly stable under aerobic conditions. For the GaBr₄ salt, large ferromagnetic intramolecular and small antiferromagnetic intermolecular interactions (J₁ /k_B =+320 K and J₂ /k_B =-2 K, respectively) were observed. The magnetic property of the Fe³⁺ salt was analyzed by using a six-spin model assuming identical intramolecular exchange interaction (J₃ /k_B =+320 K) and the other exchange interactions (J₄ /k_B =-7 K and J₅ /k_B =-4 K). A significant color change was observed in the UV/Vis/NIR absorption spectra upon electrochemical oxidation of the doublet DAA-PTZ-NN to the triplet (DAA-PTZ)⁺ -NN.

Assembly of Imidazolyl-Substituted Nitronyl Nitroxides into Ferromagnetically Coupled Chains

New nitronyl nitroxides, namely, 2-(4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-yl)- and 2-(4,5-dichloroimidazol-2-yl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-3-oxide-1-oxyl, were prepared in crystalline form. According to single-crystal X-ray data, intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds are formed between NH groups of the imidazole cycles and O atoms of the nitroxide moieties. The intermolecular H-bonds contribute to the alignment of molecules into chains along the a-axis; this alignment causes short intrachain contacts between O and C atoms carrying spin density of opposite signs. Such an arrangement of nitroxides induces ferromagnetic intrachain interactions (J ≈ 10 cm−1) between neighboring radicals.

A Crystallographic Study of a Novel Tetrazolyl-Substituted Nitronyl Nitroxide Radical

Spin-labelled compounds are widely used in chemistry, physics, biology, and material sciences, but the directed synthesis of some functionalized organic radicals is still a challenge. We succeeded in the preparation of a tetrazolyl-substituted nitronyl nitroxide radical in pure crystalline form. According to the single-crystal X-ray data, intra- (NH…O, 2.43 Å) and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds (NH…O, 1.91 Å) are formed between NH groups of the tetrazole cycles and O atoms of the paramagnetic moieties. The intermolecular H-bonds connect the molecules forming chains along the a-axis. Moreover, there are short intermolecular contacts between the O atoms (3.096 Å) and between the O and C atoms (3.096 Å) of the nitronyl nitroxide moieties within the chain. The spin-unrestricted broken-symmetry calculations performed at the BS-UB3LYP/def2-TZVP level of theory predicted a sufficient ferromagnetic interaction (J ≈ 20 cm–1) between the adjacent radicals inside the chain, but a weak antiferromagnetic interaction (−J ≤0.2 cm−1) between the nearest radicals belonging to the different chains. Thus, a rare case when stable radicals, the tetrazolyl-substituted nitronyl nitroxides, are ordered into ferromagnetic chains was revealed; an investigation of the magneto-structural correlations inherent in the nitroxide radical will demand a special experiment in the sub-Kelvin regime.

The Suzuki–Miyaura reaction as a tool for modification of phenoxyl-nitroxyl radicals of the 4H-imidazole N-oxide series

2-(3,5-Di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-4H-imidazole 3-oxide reacts with phenylboronic acid and its substituted derivatives in a cross-coupling reaction of the Suzuki–Miyaura type to form 5-biphenyl derivatives of 4H-imidazole-N-oxide. Interaction of the same compound with B₂(pin)₂ in the presence of PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ proceeds through the formation of intermediate 1,3,2-dioxoborolane and leads to the product of homocoupling: biphenyl-bis(imidazole). Oxidation of the resultant imidazoles with lead dioxide quantitatively yields stable conjugated phenoxyl-nitroxyl mono- and diradicals, which are of interest as electroactive paramagnetic materials. The crystal structure of the monoradical, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-[1-oxido-4-(biphenyl-4-yl)-5,5-dimethyl-1H-imidazole-2(5H)-ylidene]cyclohex-2,5-dienone, its magnetic susceptibility, EPR spectra of the obtained hybrid radicals in solution, and cyclic voltammetry characteristics of 4H-imidazoles were studied.

Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction as a tool for modification of hybrid phenoxyl-nitroxides.

(Azulene-1,3-diyl)-bis(nitronyl nitroxide) and (Azulene-1,3-diyl)-bis(iminonitroxide) and Their Copper Complexes

In contrast to diradicals connected by alternant hydrocarbons, only a few studies on those connected by nonalternant hydrocarbons have been reported. The syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of azulene-1,3-diyl linked bis(nitronyl nitroxide) (NN₂ Az) and bis(iminonitroxide) (IN₂ Az) diradicals and their Cu(hfac)₂ (hfac=hexafluoroacetylacetonate) complexes were investigated. NN₂ Az was shown to have an intramolecular ferromagnetic interaction with J_obs /k_B =+10.0 K (H=-2JS₁ ⋅S₂ ) between (nitronyl nitroxide) spins, whereas IN₂ Az was estimated to have a much weaker intramolecular magnetic interaction. The reactions of NN₂ Az and IN₂ Az with Cu(hfac)₂ gave a 1:2 [{Cu(hfac)₂ }₂ (NN₂ Az)] complex and a 1:1 [Cu(hfac)₂ (IN₂ Az)]⋅C₆ H₁₂ complex, respectively. [{Cu(hfac)₂ }₂ (NN₂ Az)] showed strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic interactions (J_1-Cu-R /k_B ≈-800 K, J_2-Cu-R /k_B ≈-500 K) between the Cu^II spins and the coordinating NN spins, whereas [Cu(hfac)₂ (IN₂ Az)] exhibited a ferromagnetic exchange interaction (J_obs-Cu-R /k_B =+114 K) between the Cu^II spin and the imino-coordinated iminonitroxide spin.

The Design of Radical Stacks: Nitronyl-Nitroxide-Substituted Heteropentacenes

The first alkyl chain-anchored heteropentacene, dithieno[2,3-d;2',3'-d']benzo-[1,2-b;3,4-b']dithiophene (DTmBDT), mono- or disubstituted with a nitronyl nitroxide group has been prepared through a cross-coupling synthetic procedure of the corresponding dibromo-derivative (Br2-DTmBDT) with a nitronyl nitroxide-2-ide gold(I) complex. The synthesized nitroxides possess high kinetic stability, which allowed us to investigate their structure and thermal, optical, electrochemical, and magnetic properties. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of both mono- and diradicals revealed that the nitronyl nitroxide group lies almost in the same plane as the nearest side thiophene ring. Such arrangement favors formation of edge-to-edge dimers, which then form close π-stacks surrounded by interdigitating alkyl chains. Before melting, these nitronyl nitroxide radical substituted molecules undergo at least two different phase transitions (PTs): for the monoradical, PTs are reversible, accompanied by hysteresis, and occur near 13 and 83 °C; the diradical upon heating shows a reversible PT with hysteresis in the temperature range 2-11 °C and an irreversible PT near 135 °C. PTs of this type are absent in Br2-DTmBDT. Therefore, the step-by-step substitution of bromine atoms by nitronyl nitroxide groups changes the structural organization of DTmBDT and induces the emergence of PTs. This knowledge may facilitate crystal engineering of π-stacked paramagnets and related molecular spin devices.