Charge Delocalization in Self-Assembled Mixed-Valence Aromatic Cation Radicals

The spontaneous assembly of aromatic cation radicals (D+•) with their neutral counterpart (D) affords dimer cation radicals (D2+•). The intermolecular dimeric cation radicals are readily characterized by the appearance of an intervalence charge-resonance transition in the NIR region of their electronic spectra and by ESR spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structure analysis and DFT calculations of a representative dimer cation radical (i.e., the octamethylbiphenylene dimer cation radical) have established that a hole (or single positive charge) is completely delocalized over both aromatic moieties. The energetics and the geometrical considerations for the formation of dimer cation radicals is deliberated with the aid of a series of cyclophane-like bichromophoric donors with drastically varied interplanar angles between the cofacially arranged aryl moieties. X-ray crystallography of a number of mixed-valence cation radicals derived from monochromophoric benzenoid donors established that they generally assemble in 1D stacks in the solid state. However, the use of polychromophoric intervalence cation radicals, where a single charge is effectively delocalized among all of the chromophores, can lead to higher-order assemblies with potential applications in long-range charge transport. As a proof of concept, we show that a single charge in the cation radical of a triptycene derivative is evenly distributed on all three benzenoid rings and this triptycene cation radical forms a 2D electronically coupled assembly, as established by X-ray crystallography

[2.2]Paracyclophane-4,7,12,15-tetrone, [2.2](1,4)naphthalenophane-4,7,14,17-tetrone, and 1,4,8,11-pentacenetetrone radical anions - A comparative ESR study

Three types of tetrone radical anions in which two 1,4-benzoquinone units are connected by ethano (1·-, 2·-), [2.2]paracyclophane (3·-, 4·-), and anthracene bridges (5·-, 6·-) have been studied by ESR and ENDOR spectroscopy. The displacement of the unpaired electron over the two π moieties in the [2.2]cyclophane radical anions 1·--4·- and the marked difference between the first and second reduction potentials, ΔE = |E2° - E1°| ≥ 0.20 V, are evidence for a substantial intramolecular electronic interaction between the two electrophores. Similar ΔE data for the syn- (3) and anti-naphthalenophanes (4) indicate that most of the intramolecular electronic interaction takes place through the [2.2]paracyclophane bridge. When ion pairing is inhibited by complexation of the cation, the unpaired electron in 5·- and 6·- is also delocalized over the whole pentacenetetrone system at temperatures as low as 160 K

Electrochemistry and Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence of π-Stacked Poly(fluorenemethylene) Oligomers. Multiple, Interacting Electron Transfers

The electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of a series of π-stacked poly(fluorenemethylene) oligomers (Fn, n = 1-6) were investigated. The pendant cofacially oriented fluorene moieties are essentially in contact with each other by Van der Waals interaction promoting electronic delocalization in these species. All six compounds give successive cyclic voltammetric one-electron (1e) oxidations in 1:1 acetonitrile/benzene (MeCN/Bz), and the multiple 1e transfer properties of all these compounds were confirmed by chronoamperometric experiments with an ultramicroelectrode and digital simulations. The potentials for oxidation of the successive 1e transfers can be explained in terms of electrostatic interactions among the fluorenes. The monomer (F1) shows one irreversible wave, while F2 shows two reversible 1e waves. F3 shows only two reversible 1e oxidation waves, which is consistent with the large energy to remove a third electron because of the greater electrostatic repulsion, so the third wave is shifted toward more positive potentials. Both F4 and F5 show three reversible 1e oxidation waves, while F6 shows four reversible 1e waves. The removal of the first electron from an oligomer becomes easier as n increases. The stability of the radical cations also increases with n. The removal of consecutive electrons from Fn can be correlated with the distance between fluorene moieties. No reduction peaks were observed except for some broad ones at ∼-3.2 V vs SCE in THF, which is consitent with the wide highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap in these compounds (absorbance at about 300 nm). No characteristic annihilation ECL signal was observed for these compounds in 1:1 MeCN/Bz mixed solvent. However, the ECL of F6 in the presence of the coreactant C 2O 42- showed a long-wavelength ECL emission that was proposed to be electrolyzed byproduct from the radical cation. © 2012 American Chemical Society