Di-, tri-, and tetrafluorophenyl radicals each have three
regioisomers,
several of which can form multiple distinct radical structures. We
present the photoelectron spectra of the di-, tri-, and tetrafluorophenide
regioisomer anions generated from their associated fluorobenzene precursors.
By comparing the spectra to the results of density functional theory
calculations, we determine that in cases where more than one possible
radical isomer is possible for a given regioisomer (radicals formed
from 1,2-difluorobenzene, 1,3-difluorobenzene, 1,2,3-trifluorobenzene,
and 1,2,4-trifluorobenzene) the most stable anion corresponds to a
less stable neutral, suggesting that the reactive C-center on these
fluorine-substituted phenyl groups can be controlled by charge state.
Full analyses of the spectra and computational results yield further
insights into the differences between the electronic and molecular
structures of the fluorophenyl radicals and their associated anions.