Synthesis of a phenazine radical anion complex: structural and spectroscopic analysis of spin delocalization

The synthesis and characterization of the radical anion complex (2,3;11,12-dibenzo-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadeca-2,11-diene-κ 6 O )(phenazine-κ N )potassium(I) (μ-phenazine-κ 2 N : N ′)bis{bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]zinc(II)}, [K(C 12 H 8 N 2 )(C 20 H 24 O 6 )][Zn 2 (C 12 H 8 N 2 )(C 6 H 16 NSi 2 ) 4 ], is reported. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) depicted phenazine bond metrics consistent with the reduction of the zinc-bound phenazine. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum is modeled as a two-component fit including a potassium-bound phenazine radical component and a dizinc-bound phenazine component. The extended structure of the complex displays alternating two-dimensional layers of potassium phenazine coordination polymers and phenazine-bridged bimetallic zinc complexes.