Angewandte
Communications
Chemie
resolved hyperfine structure (Figure 4d). The addition of
2.2.2]cryptand was found to significantly increase the reso-
[
lution of the EPR spectra, most likely by interrupting the
interactions between the radical anion and the potassium
cation through its incorporation within the cryptand (see the
Supporting Information). The observed fine structure results
from hyperfine coupling of the unpaired electron with the
3
1
internal P atom (I = 1/2, 100%) in addition to superhyper-
1
fine coupling to the three equivalent H atoms (I = 1/2,
9
9.9%) in the para positions of the adjacent phenyl rings. The
[
27]
ꢀ
+
spectrum was simulated with an effective g value centered
at giso = 2.0001, a linewidth of W = 0.10 mT, and hyperfine
Figure 5. X-ray crystal structure of 1C [Kꢁ18-crown-6] and illustration
of the C-P-C angles. Thermal ellipsoids set at 50% probability. C atoms
of THF shown in light blue. Disordered THF molecules and H atoms
omitted for clarity.
iso
3
1
1
coupling constants A( P) and A( Hpara) of 99.9 MHz
3.57 mT) and 8.96 MHz (0.32 mT), respectively. These find-
(
ings are in accordance with the EPR spectra reported
previously for persistent radical anions derived from various
acylphosphine oxides, in which, however, the negative charge
was additionally stabilized by delocalization into the electron-
2
central (C(sp )) PꢀO moiety, which is in agreement with the
3
EPR results. Comparable changes in the bonding situation
have been reported for the CꢀO moiety in benzophenone
[28]
withdrawing carbonyl groups.
In agreement with the literature, no coupling to meta hy-
upon one-electron reduction to the corresponding potassium
ꢀ
+
ketyl radical anion, (Ph CO)C K , where an elongation of the
2
[
9]
drogen atoms was observed. Conclusively, the recorded
CꢀO bond from 1.222 ꢀ to 1.311(5) ꢀ and concomitant
ꢀ
2
EPR spectrum of 1C in the presence of [2.2.2]cryptand clearly
shortening of the OCꢀC(sp ) bond from 1.496 ꢀ to 1.460-
[
30]
indicates the formation of a discrete triarylphosphine oxide
radical anion, with the unpaired electron spin delocalized
over the phosphoryl moiety and the three adjacent phenyl
(6) ꢀ were observed.
Based on the orbital picture, it can be envisaged that the
addition of one additional electron to 1 to afford the
corresponding radical anion should occur with an elongation
[
29]
rings. The experimental EPR data are supported by DFT-
calculated Mulliken spin densities, which confirm that only
hydrogen atoms in para position with respect to the phos-
phorus atom possess unpaired spin density (Figure 4e and
Table S1). The calculated g value of 2.0028 and the hyperfine
coupling constants (ꢀ0.25, ꢀ0.30, and ꢀ0.32 mT) for the three
para hydrogen atoms are in satisfactory agreement with the
experiment although the calculations suggest very weak
coupling of the unpaired phosphorus-centered electron with
the meta hydrogen atoms of the adjacent phenyl moieties (six
values ranging from 0.03 to 0.08 mT).
ꢀ
of the PꢀO bond. Indeed, our computational studies of 1C are
in good agreement with the experiment, that is, the calculated
PꢀO bond length is 1.501 ꢀ (exp. 1.4853(13) ꢀ), the average
PꢀC bond length is 1.752 ꢀ (exp. 1.747(4) ꢀ), and the C-P-C
angles add up to 305.88 (exp. 308.7(6)8; Table 1). The SOMO
ꢀ
of 1C strongly resembles the parent LUMO of 1, with the
unpaired electron localized on the central triarylphosphine
oxide fragment (Figure 3b). The Mulliken charge distribution
in 1C indicates that the phosphoryl oxygen atom becomes
more negatively charged (ꢀ0.66e) upon reduction, while, at
the same time, the the positive charge on the phosphorus
atom decreases (0.39e) as compared to neutral compound
1 with ꢀ0.62e (O) and 0.50e (P), respectively. In accordance
with this charge evolution, Mayerꢁs bond order decreases
ꢀ
ꢀ
+
Single crystals of 1C [Kꢁ18-crown-6] , obtained by slow
diffusion of n-pentane into a THF solution of the compound
at ꢀ358C under a nitrogen atmosphere, provided the very
first opportunity to analyze the structural changes arising
from the one-electron reduction of the triarylphosphine oxide
moiety (Figure 5; for further information, see the Supporting
Information). The overall geometry of the neutral parent
ꢀ
from 1.59 in 1 to 1.48 in 1C , which corresponds well with the
calculated elongation of the PꢀO bond by 0.014 ꢀ (Table 1,
for calculated characteristics of Ph PO and its radical anion,
3
compound 1 is largely retained in the spirocyclic scaffold of
see the Supporting Information). In comparison to 1, with
P–bcp = 0.88 ꢀ and O–bcp = of 0.61 ꢀ, the AIM analysis
ꢀ
1C (Table 1). However, significant deviations become appar-
ꢀ
ent for the environment of the phosphorus center. The
stronger pyramidalization of the phosphorus atom in the
anionic state is illustrated by the lower sum of the C-P-C
shows that the bcp of the PꢀO bond in 1C , with a P–bcp
distance of 0.82 ꢀ and an O–bcp distance of 0.68 ꢀ, is shifted
towards the phosphorus atom, which is also reflected in the
observed shortening of the PꢀC bonds upon reduction.
ꢀ
angles (308.7(6)8) for 1C than for 1 (312.8(3)8), which, in turn,
ꢀ
leads to an increased bowl depth of 1.71 ꢀ for 1C in
Taken together, we have obtained a new type of organo-
3
comparison to 1.50 ꢀ for the neutral compound. Despite
phosphorus framework by the introduction of C(sp )-hybrid-
ꢀ
the increased pyramidalization of 1C , the intramolecular
ized spirofluorenyl bridges into the triarylphosphine oxide
moiety. The incorporation of the electron-withdrawing phos-
phoryl moiety into a p-conjugated polycyclic framework—
most likely in conjunction with the sterically shielded
environment provided by the bridging fluorenyl groups—
effectively stabilized the corresponding one-electron-reduced
species. This phosphine oxide radical anion could thus be
isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography for the
2
hydrogen bond length, C(sp )ꢀH···O, remains virtually
unchanged (average C52/72/92···O1 distance of 3.21(6) ꢀ for
both compounds). More importantly, upon one-electron
reduction of 1, a slight shortening of the average PꢀC
av
bond length from 1.762(2) ꢀ to 1.747(4) ꢀ and the concurrent
elongation of the PꢀO bond from 1.4853(13) ꢀ to 1.492(3) ꢀ
suggest delocalization of the unpaired electron over the
4
ꢀ 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 1 – 6
These are not the final page numbers!