77 % Photothermal Conversion in Blatter-Type Diradicals: Photophysics and Photodynamic Applications

Diradicals based on the Blatter units and connected by acetylene and alkene spacers have been prepared. All the molecules show sizably large diradical character and low energy singlet-triplet gaps. Their photo-physical properties concerning their lowest energy excited state have been studied in detail by steady-state and time-resolved absorption spectroscopy. We have fully identified the main optical absorption band and full absence of emission from the lowest energy excited state. A computational study has been also carried out that has helped to identify the presence of a conical intersection between the lowest energy excited state and the ground state which produces a highly efficient light-to-heat conversion of the absorbed radiation. Furthermore, an outstanding photo-thermal conversion 77.23 % has been confirmed, close to the highest in the diradicaloid field. For the first time, stable diradicals are applied to photo-thermal therapy of tumor cells with good stability and satisfactory performance at near-infrared region.

Deciphering the ground state of a C3-symmetrical Blatter-type triradical by CW and pulse EPR spectroscopy

3,3',3''-(Benzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yl) (1) is a C₃-symmetrical triradical comprised of three Blatter radical units connected at the 1, 3, 5 positions of a central trimethylenebenzene core. This triradical has an excellent air, moisture, and thermal stability. Single-crystal XRD indicates that triradical 1 adopts a propeller-like geometry with the benzotriazinyl moieties twisted by 174.1(2)° and packs in 1D chains along the c axis to form an extensive network of weak intermolecular interactions. Frozen solution continuous wave (CW) EPR spectra and variable-temperature field-sweep echo-detected (FSED) spectra revealed an intramolecular ferromagnetic exchange within the spin system, supporting a quartet S = 3/2 ground state. DFT calculations further supported these experimental findings.

A first-order phase transition in Blatter's radical at high pressure

The crystal structure of Blatter's radical (1,3-diphenyl-1,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yl) has been investigated between ambient pressure and 6.07 GPa. The sample remains in a compressed form of the ambient-pressure phase up to 5.34 GPa, the largest direction of strain being parallel to the direction of π-stacking interactions. The bulk modulus is 7.4 (6) GPa, with a pressure derivative equal to 9.33 (11). As pressure increases, the phenyl groups attached to the N1 and C3 positions of the triazinyl moieties of neighbouring pairs of molecules approach each other, causing the former to begin to rotate between 3.42 to 5.34 GPa. The onset of this phenyl rotation may be interpreted as a second-order phase transition which introduces a new mode for accommodating pressure. It is premonitory to a first-order isosymmetric phase transition which occurs on increasing pressure from 5.34 to 5.54 GPa. Although the phase transition is driven by volume minimization, rather than relief of unfavourable contacts, it is accompanied by a sharp jump in the orientation of the rotation angle of the phenyl group. DFT calculations suggest that the adoption of a more planar conformation by the triazinyl moiety at the phase transition can be attributed to relief of intramolecular H...H contacts at the transition. Although no dimerization of the radicals occurs, the π-stacking interactions are compressed by 0.341 (3) Å between ambient pressure and 6.07 GPa.

Planar Blatter radicals through Bu3SnH- and TMS3SiH-assisted cyclization of aryl iodides: azaphilic radical addition

Radical chain cyclization of aryl iodides provides an efficient synthesis of planar Blatter radicals, and, for the first time, access to functionalized sulphur-containing analogues.

Axially Chiral Stable Radicals: Resolution and Characterization of Blatter Radical Atropisomers

Atropisomers of three Blatter radicals were obtained by the addition of 8-substituted 1-naphthyllithiums to 3-phenyl and 3-t-butylbenzo[e][1,2,4]triazine and separated by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography. Their absolute configurations were assigned by a comparison of experimental and time-dependent density functional theory calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. The free energy of activation, ΔG^‡₂₉₈, and the half life of racemization, t_1/2, at 298 K were determined at ∼25 kcal mol^-1 and <130 h, respectively. Intramolecular π-π interactions in radicals were evident from single-crystal X-ray diffraction, density functional theory, and electrochemical analyses.

1-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl: a tricky “structure-to-magnetism” correlation aided by DFT calculations

1-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl (2) is a Blatter radical with a challenging structure-to-magnetism correlation.

Recent advances in the chemistry of benzo[e][1,2,4]triazinyl radicals

Benzo[e][1,2,4]triazinyl, or Blatter radicals, are stable free radicals with customisable magnetic, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties, and wide-ranging applications in synthesis and functional materials.

Polymorphism in a π stacked Blatter radical: structures and magnetic properties of 3-(phenyl)-1-(pyrid-2-yl)-1,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yl

The first polymorphism example in Blatter radicals, is reported.

Single Electron Transfer to Diazomethane-Borane Adducts Prompts C-H Bond Activations

While (Ph2 CN2 )B(C6 F5 )3 is unstable, single electron transfer from Cp*2 Co affords the isolation of stable products [Cp*2 Co][Ph2 CNNHB(C6 F5 )3 ] 1 and [Cp*Co(C5 Me4 CH2 B(C6 F5 )3 )] 2. The analogous combination of Ph2 CN2 and BPh3 showed no evidence of adduct formation and yet single electron transfer from Cp*2 Cr affords the species [Cp*2 Cr][PhC(C6 H4 )NNBPh3 ] 3 and [Cp*2 Cr][Ph2 CNNHBPh3 ] 4. Computations showed both reactions proceed via transient radical anions of the diphenyldiazomethane-borane adducts to effect C-H bond activations.

Ferromagnetic interactions in a 1D Heisenberg linear chain of 1-phenyl-3,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yls

1-Phenyl-3,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl (2), was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffractometry and variable temperature SQUID magnetometry to investigate its structure-magnetism correlation.

Probing through-space and through-bond magnetic exchange couplings in a new benzotriazinyl radical and its metal complexes

A new Blatter radical and its Zn(ii) (1), Ni(ii) (2) and Co(ii) (3) complexes were isolated. Complex 1 exhibited radical⋯radical antiferromagnetic exchange coupling, whereas complexes 2 and 3 showed ferromagnetic metal–radical coupling.

The Suppression of Columnar π-Stacking in 3-Adamantyl-1-phenyl-1,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yl

3-Adamantyl-1-phenyl-1,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yl (4) crystallizes as chains of radicals where the spin bearing benzotriazinyl moieties are isolated from each other. Magnetic susceptibility studies in the 5–300 K temperature region indicate that radical 4 demonstrates typical paramagnetic behavior stemming from non-interacting S = ½ spins.

Synthesis and properties of the 3-tert-butyl-7-trifluoromethyl-1,4-dihydro-1-phenyl-1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl radical

The novel 3-tert-benzotriazinyl radical carrying the trifluoromethyl group was synthesized and exhibited pure 1D ferromagnetic interaction in the columnar structure.

Functional group transformations in derivatives of 1,4-dihydrobenzo[1,2,4]triazinyl radical

Transformations of functional groups OCOPh, OCH2Ph, I, NO2, and CO2Me in Blatter's radical derivatives 1-5 were investigated in order to develop synthetic tools for incorporation of the benzo[1,2,4]triazinyl system into complex molecular architectures. Thus, basic hydrolysis of OCOPh or Pd-catalyzed debenzylation of OCH2Ph gave phenol functionality, which was acylated and alkylated. Pd-catalyzed Suzuki, Negishi, Sonogashira, and Heck C-C cross-coupling reactions of iodo derivatives 1c, 1d, and 2d were also successful and efficient. Reduction of NO2 in 1e led to aniline derivative 1t, which was reductively alkylated with hexanal and coupled to l-proline. Selected benzo[1,2,4]triazinyl radicals were characterized by EPR and electronic absorption spectroscopy, and the results were analyzed in tandem with DFT computational methods. Lastly, the mechanism for formation of the 1,4-dihydrobenzo[1,2,4]triazine ring was investigated using the B3LYP/6-31G(2d,p) method.

Ring contraction of 1,3-diphenylbenzo[1,2,4]triazinyl radicals to 1,2-diphenylbenzimidazoles

Optimized conditions for the reductive ring contraction of benzotriazinyl radicals and related analogues afford benzimidazoles in near quantitative yields.

Effective exchange coupling in alternating-chains of a π-extended 1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl

Air stable 1,3,7-triphenyl-1,4-dihydrothiazolo[5′,4′:4,5]benzo[1,2-e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yl packs in 1D π stacks made of radical pairs with alternate short and long interplanar distances.