Observation of deuterium quadrupole splittings of aromatic free radicals in liquid crystals by ENDOR and TRIPLE resonance

First measurements of deuterium quadrupole coupling constants of a polyatomic doublet state radical are reported. The quadrupole couplings were determined by ENDOR and electron–nuclear–nuclear TRIPLE resonance in liquid crystals. For the partially deuterated perinaphthenyl radical the out-of-plane component of the deuterium quadrupole coupling was measured to be e2q33Q/h =−(94±3) kHz for both molecular sites. Within experimental error these values are equal to those measured earlier for deuterated alternant hydrocarbons in the diamagnetic singlet ground state.