Hyperfine interaction, spin polarization, and spin delocalization as probes of donor-bridge-acceptor interactions in exchange-coupled biradicals.

Computations and EPR spectroscopy are used to probe the spin distribution of donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) biradical complexes: Tp(Cum,Me)Zn(SQ-NN) (1), Tp(Cum,Me)Zn(SQ-1,4-Ph-NN) (2), Tp(Cum,Me)Zn(SQ-2,5-TP-NN) (3), and Tp(Cum,Me)Zn(SQ-2,5-Xyl-NN) (4) (SQ = orthosemiquinone and NN = nitronylnitroxide). These complexes are ground-state analogs of the charge-separated excited states formed in photoinduced electron transfer reactions. The intraligand magnetic exchange interaction (J) in these complexes is mediated by the bridges and has been found to stabilize the triplet ground states of 1 and 2.