The Radicals and Radical Dianions of Bridged [11]- and [15]Annulenyls as Compared with Those of Benzotropyl and 2,3-Naphthotropyl

The 1,6-methano11]annulenyl ( 1 ·), 1,6:8, 14-propane-1,3-diylidene15]annulenyl ( 2 ·), benzotropyl ( 3 ·) and 2,3-naphthotropyl ( 4 ·) radicals have been characterized by their ESR. spectra. The corresponding radical dianions, , , and , have also been studied both by ESR. and ENDOR. spectroscopy. Assignment of the coupling constants a_Hμ to protons in the individual positions μ of these radicals and radical dianions is to a large extent based on investigations of specifically deuteriated derivatives. The radicals 1· , 2· , 3· and 4· exist in temperature-dependent equilibria with ( 1 )₂, ( 2 )₂, ( 3 )₂ and ( 4 )₂, respectively, where ( 1 )₂ to ( 4 )₂ denote mixtures of dimers of 1 · to 4 ·. The dissociation enthalpies, ΔH°, of ( 1 )₂ (102 kJ/mol) and ( 2 )₂ (88 kJ/mol) are considerably smaller than those of ( 3 )₂ and ( 4 )₂ which do not significantly differ from the ΔH° value of bitropyl (139 ± 6 kJ/mol). This finding indicates that the gain in π-electron delocalization energies, Δ(DE)_π, upon dissociation markedly increases on going from bitropyl, ( 3 )₂ and ( 4 )₂ to ( 1 )₂ and ( 2 )₂, and thus points to an additional ‘resonance stabilization’ of 1 · and 2 ·, as compared with 3 · and 4 ·. A more pronounced π-spin localization on the 7-membered ring is observed in 3 ·, 4 ·, and relative to the corresponding species, 1 ·, 2 ·, and . It can be interpreted in terms of simple π-perimeter models without explicitly invoking substantial homoconjugative interactions between the bridged centres in 1 ·, 2 ·, and . However, the shortcomings of these crude models do not allow one to make a clear-cut statement about the contributions of the homotropyl structures to the π-systems of these paramagnetic species. The radical dianions and exhibit considerable hyperfine splittings from one ²³Na or ³⁹K nucleus of the counter-ion, whereas for and such splittings stem from two equivalent alkali metal nuclei. This finding is readily rationalized by different geometries of the bridged annulenyls and their benzo- and naphthotropyl analogues. Hyperfine data are also given for the radical anions of 7 H-benzocycloheptene, ( 3-H )\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$2^{\ominus \atop \dot{}}$\end{document}, and 6 H-(2,3-naphtho)cycloheptene, ( 4-H )\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$2^{\ominus \atop \dot{}}$\end{document}, as well as for the radical dianion of 1,6:8,14-bismethano15]annulenyl, 5 \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$2^{\ominus \atop \dot{}}$\end{document}.