ESR AND ENDOR STUDY ON THE RADICAL IONS OF 2 NONALTERNANT HYDROCARBONS - 1,3,5,7-TETRA-TERT-BUTYL-S-INDACENE AND 2,7-DI-TERT-BUTYLDICYCLOPENTA[A,E]CYCLOOCTENE

The radical anions and radical cations of two alkyl-substituted non-al ternant hydrocarbons, 1,3,5,7-tetra-tert-butyl-s-indacene and 2,7-di-t ert-butyldicyclopenta[a,e]cyclooctene, were characterized by their pro ton coupling constants with the use of ESR and, in part, ENDOR spectro scopy. Considering the unusual electronic structures of the pi-systems in question, these values agree fairly well with those predicted by s imple MO theory, Also reported are the proton hyperfine data for the r adical ions of the likewise alkyl-substituted non-alternant 8,16-diiso propyl-s-indaceno[1,2,3-cd:5,6,7-c d] diphenalene