The atomic doping of open-shell nanographenes enables precise tuning of their electronic and magnetic states, which is crucial for their promising potential applications in optoelectronics and spintronics. Among this intriguing class of molecules, triangulenes stand out with their size-dependent electronic properties and spin states, which can also be influenced by the presence of dopant atoms and functional groups. However, the occurrence of Jahn-Teller distortions in such systems can have a crucial impact on their total spin and requires further theoretical and experimental investigation. In this study, we examine the nitrogen-doped aza-triangulene series via a combination of density functional theory and on-surface synthesis. We identify a general trend in the calculated spin states of aza-[n]triangulenes of various sizes, separating them into two symmetry classes, one of which features molecules that are predicted to undergo Jahn-Teller distortions that reduce their symmetry and thus their total spin. We link this behavior to the location of the central nitrogen atom relative to the two underlying carbon sublattices of the molecules. Consequently, our findings reveal that neutral centrally doped aza-triangulenes have one less radical than their undoped counterparts, irrespective of their predicted symmetry. We follow this by demonstrating the on-surface synthesis of π-extended aza-[5]triangulene, a large member of the higher symmetry class without Jahn-Teller distortions, via a simple one-step annealing process on Cu(111) and Au(111). Using scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy combined with theoretical calculations, we prove that the molecule is positively charged on the Au(111) substrate, with a high-spin quintet state of S = 2, the same total spin as undoped neutral [5]triangulene. Our study uncovers the correlation between the dopant position and the radical nature of high-spin nanographenes, providing a strategy for the design and development of these nanographenes for various applications.
Keywords: density functional theory; doping; nanographenes; on-surface synthesis; scanning probe microscopy; triangulenes.