E.s.r. of radicals in γ-irradiated heptasulphurimide S7NH and tetrasulphurtetraimide, S4(NH)4

Abstract

The major species in both compounds named² in the title at room temperature had similar e.s.r. spectra which were interpreted in terms of π-radicals R₂N, having the unpaired electron largely confined to nitrogen. Loss of a hydrogen atom from the parent molecules accords with this result. Another species, detected at 77 K only, had no detectable hyperfine coupling to ¹⁴N or ¹H. The g-tensors accord with expectation for radicals having the unpaired electron largely confined to sulphur. A secondary radical, detected in S₇NH, characterized by hyperfine coupling to one nitrogen atom, is also described but not identified.