The capto-dative substituent effect on benzylic radicals ESR hyperfine splittings. An evaluation of the extra stabilization based upon spin delocalization

Appropriate hyperfine splittings in ESR spectra of disubstituted (cyano/methoxy) benzylic radicals were compared with the corresponding values of monosubstituted ones. On the basis of the dependence of radical stabilization on spin delocalization, it is concluded that captodative substitution implies a synergetic substituent effect on radical stabilization. On the contrary, an antagonistic effect is observed in the case of two identical substituents.