The syntheses and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectral characterizations of porphyrins (
1-
3) substitutedwith two radical groups bound to trans-meso positions are described. One of these compounds,
3, has beenstudied by variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility and has been structurally characterized. Biradical porphyrin
3 is monoclinic, space group
P2
1/n, with
a = 12.239(2) Å,
b = 17.819(3) Å,
c = 34.445(7) Å,
= 90
,
=97.466(3)
,
= 90
, and
Z = 2. The bis(nitroxide) porphyrins
1 and
2 exhibit fluid solution EPR spectra consistentwith
J a. No evidence was observed for conformational modulation of
J by rotation about single bonds asshown by the lack of change of the EPR spectra as a function of temperature. The bis(semiquinone) porphyrin
3exhibits frozen-solution EPR spectra with zero-field splitting and a
ms = 2 transition characteristic of a tripletstate. The intensity of the
ms = 2 transition of
3 was measured as a function of temperature, and the data fitaccording to a singlet-triplet model to yield
J(
3,solution) = -75 cm
-1 (
H = - 2
J1·
2). Polycrystalline samplesof porphryin
3 were examined by variable-temperature magnetometry. The paramagnetic susceptibility data werefit using a modified Bleaney-
Bowers equation to give
J(
3,solid) = -29 cm
-1 (
H = - 2
J1·
2). The antiferromagnetic
J values are consistent with the
topology of the porphyrin ring.