(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) (NN₂Az) and bis(iminonitroxide) (IN₂Az) diradicals and their Cu(hfac)₂ (hfac=hexafluoroacetylacetonate) complexes were investigated. NN₂Az was shown to have an intramolecular ferromagnetic interaction with J _obs/k _B=+10.0 K (H =−2J S ₁ ⋅S ₂) between (nitronyl nitroxide) spins, whereas IN₂Az was estimated to have a much weaker intramolecular magnetic interaction. The reactions of NN₂Az and IN₂Az with Cu(hfac)₂ gave a 1:2 [{Cu(hfac)₂}₂(NN₂Az)] complex and a 1:1 [Cu(hfac)₂(IN₂Az)] ⋅ C₆H₁₂ complex, respectively. [{Cu(hfac)₂}₂(NN₂Az)] 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(IN₂Az)] exhibited a ferromagnetic exchange interaction (J _obs‐Cu‐R/k _B=+114 K) between the Cu^II spin and the imino‐coordinated iminonitroxide spin.