Substituent effect on g-tensor: multifrequency ESR study and DFT calculation of polycrystalline phenoxyl radicals in diamagnetic crystals

The substituent effect on the g-tensor of polycrystalline 2,6-di-tert-butyl phenoxyl radical derivatives diluted in diamagnetic crystals was investigated using multifrequency ESR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. It was revealed that the g-tensors of the series of phenoxyl radical derivatives essentially have an orthorhombic symmetry. For some radicals, the hyperfine-splitting tensors from the para groups were resolved. The interpretations and the assignments of the spin-Hamiltonian parameters were confirmed with computer simulations in all bands. The DFT-calculated g-tensors were consistent with the experimental g-tensors. Furthermore, the shifts Delta(g) from the free electron ge were analyzed in details as the sum of three contributions. The spin-orbit interactions were found to be the dominant factor with regard to the Delta(g). With a focus on the s-o term, thus, the relationship of the g-values and the electronic excited states was explained by visualizing the molecular orbitals of the phenoxyl radical derivatives. This study thus showed the very significant potential of the combination of a multi-frequency ESR approach and a DFT calculation to advanced ESR analysis, particularly, g-tensor analysis, even for a powder-sample radical.