Design, synthesis and electronic states of an iminonitroxide radical with excited quartet high-spin state and photo-induced electron transfer in its CT complex

In this paper, we report the design, synthesis and electronic state of a π-conjugated stable iminonitroxide radical, 1, the electron donor property of which is improved by an attachment of dimethylamino group. The photo-excited quartet high-spin state was observed by a time-resolved ESR experiment. CV measurement has clarified that the π-HOMO of the ground state is located higher ca. 0.35 eV in energy than 2 reported previously. These results show that the electron donor property is improved and the nature of the photo-excited spin alignment is conserved. Two CT complexes (1-TCNQ and 1-BQF4) were synthesized using 1 as an electron donor. Their complexes have shown strong CT bands. The time-resolved ESR signal without the fine-structure splitting was observed for 1-TCNQ CT complex. The signal may arise from the photo-induced electron transfer from the quartet excited state of 1 to the TCNQ acceptor.

Graphical abstractWe report the design, synthesis and electronic state of a π-conjugated stable iminonitroxide radical, 1, the electron donor property of which is improved by an attachment of dimethylamino group. The photo-excited quartet high-spin state was observed by a time-resolved ESR experiment.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide