The full geometry optimization of the A and
B forms of bianthrone and their eight corresponding ions
has
been performed. From the resulting molecular structure parameters,
some structure-bonding relationships
are established. The calculated electron affinities, which take
into account internal reorganizational energies,
suggest that the bianthrasemiquinone radical anion
B
•
-
may be
the first semiquinone that is stable toward
oxidation by dioxygen. This is experimentally proven using
electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
spectroscopy. The
B
•
-
radical anion, prepared via the addition of NaOH to B in
dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
solution, displays a strong well-resolved EPR spectrum. From the
simulation of the spectrum and analysis
of the line widths, the bimolecular rate constant for the spin−spin
exchange between two
B
•
-
radicals is
determined to be 3.19 × 109 L
mol-1 s-1.
When the solvent is saturated with O2, evidence for
the close
proximity and the frequent encounters between the radical and
O2 is apparent from the large broadening of
the hydrogen hyperfine splittings. The magnitude of the line width
broadening reveals that the Heisenberg
spin−spin exchange between
B
•
-
and
O2 is approximately 10% less efficient than that of
neutral nitroxide
spin labels. This suggests that the DMSO solvation sphere
surrounding the
B
•
-
radical anion protects it and
slightly decreases its collision frequency with O2.
When the O2 is expelled from solution, the EPR
spectrum
reverts to its normal well resolved form with no measurable loss of
intensity. The unusual stability of
B
•
-
is attributed to the delocalization of its unpaired type electron over
a major portion of this large anion.
Local density functional computations, which take into account electron exchange-correlation and employ large one-particle Gaussian basis sets, are used to study the electronic structure and bonding of the of ScO, TiN, and VC low-lying states. While both ScO and TiN have 21+ ground states, arising from the 9af37rX23?r,2 electronic configuration, the VC diatomic is predicted to have a 2A ground state. The VC 2A ground state (8~~3~,~3?r,216,t) is the same as that suggested from EPR matrix-isolation experiments. The spectroscopic parameters ue, WeXe, Be, a,, and p and its derivatives are also computed for the three lowest 2Z+, ZA, and 211 states,
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