Synthesis and characterization of a nanoscopic molecular-scale wire bearing terminal redox-active polychlorotriphenylmethyl radicals

The synthesis and characterization of a new nanoscopic diradical species with a long radical-to-radical distance of 3.2 nm, are reported. Intramolecular electron-transfer phenomena in the radical anion derived from the partial reduction of such diradical are studied by optical and ESR spectroscopies. These experiments showed a very small or negligible electronic coupling between the two terminal redox sites due to strong localization effects associated to the excellent electron acceptor ability of polychlorotriphenylmethyl radicals.