π-Electronic structure of the nitrofuran system

Anion radicals of 2-vinylene derivatives of 5-nitrofuran were obtained by electrochemical generation. The hyperfine structure (hfs) of the ESR spectra of these anion radicals indicates delocalization of the unpaired electron over their entire π-electron system. The effect of the vinylene grouping on the distribution of the unpaired electron in the anion radicals and on the distribution of the unpaired electron in the vinylene grouping itself was examined on the basis of the hfs constants. It was found that the vinylene grouping by localizing more than 10% of the density of the unpaired electron on itself reduces, by a factor of 1.4, the effect of substituents in the 2 position of 5-nitrofuran on the distribution of the spin of the unpaired electron in the nitrofuran framework.