Substituent Effects in S- and Se-Centered Radical Cations

The first ionization potentials of molecules XZY and 1,4-XC₆H₄ZR (X, Y are inorganic, organo- metallic, or organic substituents; Z = S, Se), as well as the energies of charge-transfer bands in the electronic spectra of tetracyanoethylene complexes of these molecules are determined by the inductive, resonance, and polarization effects of substituents X and Y. Z-Centered radical cations formed both from individual molecules in the gas phase and from those incorporated in tight radical ion pairs in solutions are closely allied in their electronic structure. The resonance parameters ⁺_R of organosilicon, organogermanium, and organotin substituents bound to the radical cation center Z+^· were determined.