Electron spin resonance spectra of fluorinated aromatic radicals

Abstract

Electron spin resonance spectra have been observed from radicals produced during the photolysis of a number of highly fluorinated aromatic nitro, nitrosocompounds and ketones in solution. The fluorine splittings are considered with particular reference to those of protons at the same ring position in closely related structures, and also in terms of the σ-π parameters for fluorinated π radicals. Studies in fully deuterated media have established that for certain of the nitrogen-containing compounds, radicals incorporating solvent fragments are formed; their spectra have been interpreted in terms of nitroxides. Unsuccessful attempts to prepare radical anions from highly-fluorinated compounds by reduction with alkali metals and by electro-chemical methods are briefly described.