Effect of ortho substitution on the charge localization of dinitrobenzene radical anions

Optical and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies were used to study the radical anions of several m-dinitrobenzenes and p-dinitrobenzenes with substituents on ortho positions relative to the nitro groups. 1,4-Dinitrobenzene, 1,4-dimethyl-2,5-dinitrobenzene, and 2,5-dinitrobenzene-1,4-diamine radical anions are delocalized (class III) mixed valence species, but in the dinitrodurene radical anion the nitro groups are forced out of the ring plane due to the steric hindrance, which results in localization of the charge. The radical anions m-dinitrobenzene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and dinitromesitylene are all localized (class II) mixed valence species, as is common for m-dinitrobenzenes, and the rate of intramolecular electron transfer reaction strongly decreases with the number of methyl substituents. The same mechanism of rotation of the nitro groups out of the ring plane due to steric hindrance caused by neighboring methyl groups is also responsible for slowing the reaction. However, 2,6-dinitroaniline radical anion and 2,6-dinitrophenoxide radical dianion are charge-delocalized because the strong electron releasing amino and oxido groups increase the conjugation between the two charge-bearing units.