New complexes of manganese(II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate [Mn(hfac)₂] with 2-(1-R-3-pyrazol-4-yl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-imidazoline-3-oxide-1-oxyl (R = CHF₂, CH₂CH₂F, CH₂CHF₂ or CH₂CF₃) were synthesised and characterised structurally and magnetically. All complexes were prepared under similar conditions. Nonetheless, their crystal structures were considerably different. Depending on the structure of fluorinated alkyl substituent R, the complexation reaction led to complexes of three types: chain-polymeric complexes with the head-to-head or head-to-tail motif and complexes of molecular structure. All complexes show strong antiferromagnetic behaviour in a high-temperature region (150–300 K) and weak ferro- or antiferromagnetic exchange interactions at low temperatures. The stronger antiferromagnetic exchange, −101.7 ± 1.5 or −136 ± 10 cm⁻¹, −82.3 ± 1.3 cm⁻¹ and −87.4 ± 1.3 cm⁻¹, was attributed to the magnetic interaction in three- or two-spin clusters: {>N∸O–Mn²⁺–O∸N<} or {>N∸O–Mn²⁺}, respectively. The weaker antiferromagnetic interaction, −0.005, between three-spin clusters or ferromagnetic interactions, 0.18–0.81 cm⁻¹, between two-spin clusters are realised through the pyrazole ring or intermolecular contacts.

The metal–radical approach is a well-established synthetic way toward multi-spin systems that relies on the coordination of stable radical ligands with transition metal ions. The advantage offered by the use of paramagnetic ligands is that metal–radical magnetic exchange coupling is direct between the magnetic orbitals of the radical and metal ion. With the aim of further exploring this approach, crystals of four heterspin complexes, [M(hfac)₂L^F]₂ {M = Mn, Co, or Ni and hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate} and [Cu(hfac)₂L^F]_n, were obtained using a new fluorinated pyrazolyl-substituted nitronyl nitroxide radical, 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-(5-fluoro-1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl (L^F) as a ligand. The newly synthesized complexes were fully characterized, including X-ray crystallography and magnetometry. XRD analysis revealed that complexes [M(hfac)₂L^F]₂ have similar dimer structures in which a metal ion is in a six-coordinated environment with four O atoms from the two hfac ligands, one radical O atom, and one pyrazole N atom from ligand L^F. Nonetheless, the packing patterns of the complexes were found to be considerably different. In [Mn(hfac)₂L^F]₂, there are no magnetically important short contacts between manganese dimers. By contrast, in [Co(hfac)₂L^F]₂ and [Ni(hfac)₂L^F]₂, there are short contacts between non-coordinate O atoms of nitronyl nitroxide moieties. Magnetic behaviors of [M(hfac)₂L^F]₂ showed that the M ions and the directly coordinated radicals are strongly antiferromagnetically coupled (J_Mn-ON = −84.1 ± 1.5 cm⁻¹, J_Co-ON = −134.3 ± 2.6 cm⁻¹, and J_Ni-ON = −276.2 ± 2.1 cm⁻¹; $\widehat{H}=-2J{\widehat{\stackrel{⃑}{S}}}_{\mathrm{M}}{\widehat{\stackrel{⃑}{S}}}_{\mathrm{N}\mathrm{O}}$). Notably, the magnetization of [Mn(hfac)₂L^F]₂ having molecular structure proved to be accompanied by hysteresis. The [Cu(hfac)₂L^F]_n complex has a chain-polymer structure with alternating magnetic fragments: three spin exchange clusters {O_NO–Cu(II)–O_NO} and {Cu(II)} ions. Despite the direct coordination of radicals, its magnetic properties are weakly ferromagnetic (J_Cu-ON = 14.8 ± 0.3 cm⁻¹).

The interaction between diphenylacetylene and dichlorophenylphosphine under various conditions is a simple method for the preparation of pentaphenylphosphole derivatives exhibiting fluorescence properties. Depending on the electronic state of the various centers of the phospholic structure, it was possible to obtain molecules with fluorescence, as in the blue area for 1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenyl-2,5-dihydro-phosphole-1-oxide (H₂PPPO), in the yellow area for 1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylphosphole-1-oxide (PPPO) and in the cyan area for 1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylphosphole (PPP). The effect of the structure and π-conjugation on the optical properties of these compounds was studied using PPP derivatives as examples. Unusual changes in the optical properties of PPP derivatives in solution and in the crystalline state are explained. In the case of agglomeration of PPPO and PPP molecules, the effect of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) was observed to have weak fluorescence in solution and strong fluorescence in the aggregated state. However, for H₂PPPO, the AIE effect remains mild. With the help of experimental studies, supported by theoretical calculations, the main mechanism of the optical properties of pentaphenylphosphole derivatives has been revealed. It was observed that the intramolecular motions of PPPO and PPP are more limited in the solid state than the motions of H₂PPPO, which is associated with less conjugation of the phenyl rotors of H₂PPPO. The analysis of the structure and distribution of electron density showed why hydrogenation of the phosphole ring leads to a sharp change in the optical properties of pentaphenylphosphole derivatives, while the oxidation of phosphorus does not lead to the disappearance of the AIE effect and to a lesser extent affects the change in the fluorescence wavelength. Thus, it was shown how the regulation of various structural features of the phospholic ring helps to control the optical properties of such compounds.

Gossypol and its derivatives arouse interest due to their broad spectrum of biological activities. Despite its wide potential application, there is no reported example of gossypol derivatives bearing stable radical functional groups. The first gossypol nitroxide hybrid compound was prepared here via formation of a Schiff base. By this approach, synthesis of a gossypol nitroxide conjugate was performed by condensation of gossypol with a 4-amino-TEMPO (4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl) free radical, which afforded the target product in high yield. Its structure was proven by a combination of NMR and EPR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. In addition, the structure of the gossypol nitroxide was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. In crystals, the paramagnetic Schiff base exists in an enamine–enamine tautomeric form. The tautomer is strongly stabilized by the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds promoted by the resonance of π-electrons in the aromatic system. NMR analyses of the gossypol derivative proved that in solutions, the enamine–enamine tautomeric form prevailed. The gossypol nitroxide at micromolar concentrations suppressed the growth of tumor cells; however, compared to gossypol, the cytotoxicity of the obtained conjugate was substantially lower.

Inhibition of human DNA repair enzyme tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (Tdp1) by different chiral lipophilic nucleoside derivatives was studied. New Tdp1 inhibitors were found in the series of the studied compounds with IC₅₀ = 2.7–6.7 μM. It was shown that D-lipophilic nucleoside derivatives manifested higher inhibition activity than their L-analogs, and configuration of the carbohydrate moiety can influence the mechanism of Tdp1 inhibition.

A series of novel fluorescent donor–acceptor–donor (D-A-D) dyes containing [1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-d]pyridazine and its 1-oxide as electron-withdrawing groups has been synthesized and thoroughly investigated using X-ray diffraction and molecular spectroscopy methods. This study showed that the introduction of N-oxide into the 1,2,5-oxadiazole ring in the acceptor fragment leads to a significant decrease in the luminescence intensity and quantum yield of the dyes. A comprehensive comparison of the photophysical properties of the obtained compounds containing the 1,2,5-oxadiazole ring with the previously studied [1,2,5]thia- and 1,2,5-selenadiazolo[3,4-d]pyridazine analogs showed that the oxygen substitution in the acceptor fragment shifts the phosphorescence maximum from the NIR region of 980–1100 nm to the red region of 690–770 nm. In contrast, for oxygen- and sulfur-containing dyes, purely red fluorescence with a maximum in the spectral range of 620–900 nm is observed. The crystal structures of furoxan-containing 3d·½CHCl₃ and furazan-containing 4d exhibit a non-planar [1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-d]pyridazine fragment. We have found that short non-covalent interactions of the furoxan system with a lattice chloroform molecule in 3d lead to luminescence quenching. Meanwhile, in the 4d dye, the intermolecular π-π interactions of pyridazine nitrogen atoms with the N-carbazolyl group of the adjacent molecule should facilitate intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) emission. Thus, the luminescence maxima for these dyes can be tuned across a broad range of 700–1100 nm by varying the number of chalcogen atoms, highlighting the potential for tailoring optical properties in optoelectronic applications.