Synthesis, stabilities, and redox behavior of Di(1-azulenyl)(6-azulenyl)methylium hexafluorophosphates. Generation of a donor-acceptor-substituted neutral radical by azulenes

Several di(1-azulenyl)(6-azulenyl)methanes and 1,3-bis[(1-azulenyl)(6-azulenyl)methyl]azulenes were prepared by the condensation reaction of azulenes with diethyl 6-formylazulene-1,3-dicarboxylate under acidic conditions. The products were converted into di(l-azulenyl)(6-azulenyl)methylium hexafluorophosphates and azulene-1,3-diylbis[(l-azulenyl)(6-azulenyl)methylium] bis-(hexafluorophosphate)s via hydride abstraction reaction with DDQ following the exchange of counterions. These mono- and dications exhibited high stability with large pK(R)(+) values (5.6-10.1), despite the capto-dative substitution of azulenes. The electrochemical reduction of the monocations upon cyclic voltammetry (CV) exhibited a reversible two-step, one-electron reduction wave with a small difference between the first reduction potential (E red) and the second one (E-2(red)), which exhibited the generation of highly amphoteric neutral radicals in solution. The electrochemical reduction of dications showed voltammograms, which were characterized by subsequent two single-electron waves and a two-electron transfer upon CV attributable to the formation of a radical cation, a diradical (or twitter ionic structure), and a dianionic species, respectively. Formation of a persistent neutral radical from a monocation was revealed by ESR and UV-vis spectroscopies and theoretical calculations. The ESR spectra of the neutral radical gave two hyperfine coupling constants: a(H) = 0.083 (6H) and 0.166 mT (9H) (g = 2.0024), indicating that an unpaired electron delocalizes over all three of the azulene rings. The stable monoanion, which shows the localization of the charge on the 6-azulenyl substituent, was also successfully generated from the di(1-azulenyl)(6-azulenyl)methane derivative.