DOE OSTI2013
The fine-structure (FS) parameters D of a series of D{sub 3h} symmetric septet trinitrenes were analyzed theoretically using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and compared with the experimental D values derived from ESR spectra. ESR studies show that D{sub 3h} symmetric septet 1,3,5-trichloro-2,4,6-trinitrenobenzene with D=-0.0957 cm{sup -1} and E= 0 cm{sup -1} is the major paramagnetic product of the photolysis of 1,3,5-triazido-2,4,6-trichlorobenzene in solid argon matrices at 15 K. Trinitrenes of this type display in the powder X-band ESR spectra intense Z{sub 1}-transition at very low magnetic fields, the position of which allows one to precisely calculate the parameter D of such molecules. Thus, our revision of the FS parameters of well-known 1,3,5-tricyano-2,4,6-trinitrenobenzene [E. Wasserman, K. Schueller, and W. A. Yager, Chem. Phys. Lett. 2, 259 (1968)] shows that this trinitrene has Double-Vertical-Line D Double-Vertical-Line = 0.092 cm{sup -1} and E= 0 cm{sup -1}. DFT calculations reveal that, unlike C{sub 2v} symmetric septet trinitrenes, D{sub 3h} symmetric trinitrenes have the same orientations of the spin-spin coupling tensor D-caret{sub SS} and the spin-orbit coupling tensor D-caret{sub SOC} and, as a result, have negative signs for both the D{sub SS} and D{sub SOC} values. The negative magnetic anisotropy of septet 2,4,6-trinitrenobenzenes is considerably strengthened on introduction of heavy atoms in the molecules, owing to an increase in contributions of various excitation states to the D{sub SOC} term.