Ferroelectric order of parallel bistable hydrogen bonds

Reversible structural phase transition of pyridinium-4-carboxylic acid perchlorate

Pyridinium-4-carboxylic acid perchlorate (C6H6NO2·ClO4) was synthesized and separated as crystals. Differential scanning calorimetry measurement shows that this compound undergoes a reversible phase transition at about 122 K with a heat hysteresis of 1.8 K. A dielectric anomaly observed at 127 K further confirms the phase transition. The low-temperature (LT;T= 103 K) structure has space groupP21/cand cell parametersa= 17.356 (6),b= 13.241 (3),c= 16.161 (7) Å, β = 138.055 (17)°. The high-temperature (HT;T= 298 K) structure has space groupP21/cand cell parametersa= 5.5046 (11),b= 13.574 (3),c= 11.834 (2) Å, β = 99.35 (3)°, but can be re-described using new axesa′ =a,b′ =b,c′ = −2a+c,V′ =Vto give the cella′ = 5.5046 (11),b′ = 13.574 (3),c′ = 17.424 (3) Å, β′ = 137.92 (3)° and space groupP21/c. The associated coordinate transformation isx′ =x+ 2z,y′ =y,z′ =zand the associated reflection index transformation ish′ =h,k′ =k,l′ =l− 2h. The relationship between the two cells is 3a,b,c(HT) approximatesa,b,c(LT). The crystal comprises one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chains of the pyridinium-4-carboxylic acid cations and perchlorate anions. A precise analysis of the main packing and structural differences as well as the changes in the intermolecular interactions between the HT phase and the LT phase reveals that the disorder–order transition of the perchlorate anions may be the driving force of the transition, and the hydrogen-bonding effect may contribute to the transition as a secondary parameter.

The neutron diffraction study, calorimetry and spontaneous polarization of pyridinium perrhenate at 350, 300 and 100 K

The crystal and molecular structure of pyridinium perrhenate [H(5)C(5)NH](+) [ReO(4)](-) (hereafter referred to as PyReO(4)) was determined by single-crystal neutron diffraction at 350, 300 and 100 K. The neutron study confirmed the x-ray diffraction results in all three phases. The three temperature-dependent polymorphs are orthorhombic, with the following sequence of phases: Cmcm − → Cmc2(1) − → Pbca, with the a lattice parameter doubled. In the two high temperature phases the pyridinium cations display a rotational disorder while the perrhenate anions are well ordered. The low temperature phase is fully ordered. The neutron results allow for a very precise description of the distribution of the nitrogen atoms in the disordered pyridinium cation, which enables us to analyse the calorimetric and spontaneous polarization measurements. The results from the DSC and pyroelectric measurements point to a paraelectric (350 K), ferroelectric (300 K) with the Curie point at 336 K and antiferroelectric (100 K) crystal phases. The phase transition at 336 K can be classified as an order-disorder ferroelectric with a small displacive component.

The first ferroelectric templated borate: [Ni(en)2pip][B5O6(OH)4]2

The title compound (GDUT-4) is the first templated borate compound shown to have ferroelectric properties. Its structure consists of a metal complex and isolated polyanion. The chiral structure of the compound was induced by guest-complex cations according to host-guest symmetry through hydrogen bonds (H-bonds). The origins of ferroelectricity in GDUT-4 was shown to be dependent on proton transfer through H-bonds.

Reversible phase transition of pyridinium-3-carboxylic acid perchlorate

Pyridinium-3-carboxylic acid perchlorate was synthesized and separated as crystals. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements show that this compound undergoes a reversible phase transition at ∼ 135 K with a wide hysteresis of 15 K. Dielectric measurements confirm the transition at ∼ 127 K. Measurement of the unit-cell parameters versus temperature shows that the values of the c axis and β angle change abruptly and remarkably at 129 (2) K, indicating that the system undergoes a first-order transition at T c = 129 K. The crystal structures determined at 103 and 298 K are all monoclinic in P21/c, showing that the phase transition is isosymmetric. The crystal contains one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chains of the pyridinium-3-carboxylic acid cations, which are further linked to perchlorate anions by hydrogen bonds to form well separated infinite planar layers. The most distinct differences between the structures of the higher-temperature phase and the lower-temperature phase are the change of the distance between the adjacent pyridinium ring planes within the hydrogen-bonded chains and the relative displacement between the hydrogen-bonded layers. Structural analysis shows that the driving force of the transition is the reorientation of the pyridinium-3-carboxylic acid cations. The degree of order of the perchlorate anions may be a secondary order parameter.

New ferroelectrics based on divalent metal ion alum

A detailed study of two alum-type complexes containing the SeO(4)(2-) anion, 1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane hexaaquacopper(II) bis(selenate) [(H(2)dbco)Cu(H(2)O)(6)(SeO(4))(2), 1] and its deuterated analogue (D(2)dbco)Cu(D(2)O)(6)(SeO(4))(2) (2), has revealed that 1 and 2 are new ferroelectrics that undergo a paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition at ca. -140 to -138 degrees C as a result of order-disorder features of the cation ([H(2)dbco](2+) or [D(2)dbco](2+)) and anion (selenate). These are the first examples of ferroelectrics based on divalent metal anion alum analogues since the discovery of ferroelectrics based on trivalent metal anion alum in approximately 1960.

1,4-Diazo-niabicyclo-[2.2.2]octane tetra-chloridozincate monohydrate

In the title compound, (C₆H₁₄N₂)[ZnCl₄]·H₂O, the crystal packing is governed by an extensive three-dimensional network of N—H⋯Cl, N—H⋯O and O—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. The zinc(II) metal centre has a slightly distorted tetra­hedral coordination geometry.

Organic ferroelectrics

Ferroelectricity results from one of the most representative phase transitions in solids, and is widely used for technical applications. However, observations of ferroelectricity in organic solids have until recently been limited to well-known polymer ferroelectrics and only a few low-molecular-mass compounds. Whereas the traditional use of dipolar molecules has hardly succeeded in producing ferroelectricity in general, here we review advances in the synthesis of new organic materials with promising ferroelectric properties near room temperature, using design principles in analogy to inorganic compounds. These materials are based on non-covalent molecules formed by two or more components, in which ferroelectricity arises either from molecular displacements or from the collective transfer of electrons or protons. The principle of using multi-component molecular compounds leads to a much broader design flexibility and may therefore facilitate the development of future functional organics.

Large dielectric susceptibility associated with proton transfer in a supramolecular structure of chloranilic acid and 5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine

A 1:1 adduct of chloranilic acid with 5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, in which two kinds of molecules are connected by infinite hydrogen bond chains, exhibits a distinct dielectric phase transition when cooled. Below T(c)(=318 K) the hydrogen atoms participating in hydrogen bonding undergo long-range ordering and form an antiferroelectric-like state, taking a single minimum potential in the high-temperature phase (T>T(c)) due to the bifurcate hydrogen bond system. The proton-transfer phenomenon was clearly observed by electron density distribution analysis using a maximum entropy method of synchrotron x-ray diffraction data.

Hydrogen-bonded donor–acceptor compounds for organic ferroelectric materials

Organic ferroelectrics are multifunctional candidates for future organic electronic and optical devices. In spite of their potential, only a few organic compounds are known to exhibit a ferroelectric transition. The conventional approach to ferroelectrics, in general, relies on the use of asymmetric dipolar molecules and/or substituents. Recently, distinct design strategies have been developed using the molecular compounds of binary- or multi-components, combined with "non-covalent" forces: charge-transfer interactions and/or hydrogen bonding. This article focuses on the supramolecular systems of hydrogen-bonded acid and base molecules. Ferroelectricity and a significant dielectric response, as well as an antiferroelectric ordering induced by proton transfer, are demonstrated in the hydrogen-bonded chains composed of 2,5-dihydroxy-p-benzoquinone derivatives and nitrogen-containing aromatic bases.

Disproportionation of Pyrazine in NH+···N Hydrogen-Bonded Complexes: New Materials of Exceptional Dielectric Response

Centrosymmetric pyrazinium NH+...N bonded complexes allow their dielectric properties to be analyzed separately from the bulk ferroelectric polarization observed in the noncentrosymmetric DABCO monosalts. The method of dielectric permittivity measurements has been employed for monitoring polarization fluctuations generated by proton transfers in the NH+...N bonded linear polycations. The revealed dielectric response of [C4H5N2]+BF4- and [C4H5N2]+ClO4- cannot be reconciled with the centrosymmetric symmetry of their structures, but suggests formation of polar defects or nanoregions. Unique transformations of the pyrazine [C4H5N2]+BF4- complex between linear NH+...N hydrogen-bonded polycationic aggregates antiparallel in phase gamma, perpendicular chains in phase beta, and with NH+...N bonds broken in phase alpha have been observed. The [C4H5N2]+ClO4- and [C4H5N2]+BF4- complexes as grown at 290 K are isostructural in orthorhombic phase , space group Pbcm, with linear polycationic chains arranged antiparallel. On heating, the tetrafluoroborate and perchlorate salts each undergoes two first-order phase transitions at similar temperatures about 340-360 K, while on cooling only one phase transition has been observed. An extremely unique sequence of two phase transitions subsequently lowering the symmetry of the [C4H5N2]+BF4- crystal when temperature is increased has been evidenced: the orthorhombic phase heated above 343 K transforms into the monoclinic C2/c-symmetric phase beta, in which the NH+...N bonded linear chains assume perpendicular arrangement; and at about 353-357 K the anions and cations adopt a typical ionic-crystal packing without homonuclear NH+...N hydrogen bonds in a still lower-symmetry monoclinic P21/n-symmetric structure. The exceptional perpendicular arrangement of the linear NH+...N bonded chains in phase beta constitutes a unique system where polarization of small regions can assume various orientations within a plane, depending on the H+ sites. No phase transitions or anomalous dielectric response were observed in the NH+...O bonded [C4H5N2]+NO3- complex. The unprecedented structure-property relations of the pyrazinium complexes fully confirm the role of the NH+...N bond transformations for the dielectric response of analogous DABCO ferroelectrics.

Pressure Tuning between NH···N Hydrogen-Bonded Ice Analogue and NH···Br Polar dabcoHBr Complexes

At normal conditions 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane hydrobromide [C(6)H(13)N(2)](+.)Br(-) forms centrosymmetric crystals, space group Pm2, NH(+)...N hydrogen-bonded linear polycationic chains with disordered protons in the structure. As in H(2)O ice Ih, the protons in [C(6)H(13)N(2)](+.)Br(-) crystals remain disordered at low temperatures. Above 0.4 GPa the [C(6)H(13)N(2)](+.)Br(-) crystals transform into a new polar NH(+)...Br(-) hydrogen bonded complex, space group Cmc2. It has been crystallized in-situ in a diamond anvil cell and its structure determined by X-rays. The low-pressure triggering of this transformation indicates that it is a possible source of defects in the real structure at normal conditions, where, along with disproportionation defects, they can be responsible for anomalous dielectric properties, including relaxor-like behavior of NH...N hydrogen-bonded compounds.

A Novel TGS-like Inorganic−Organic Hybrid and a Preliminary Investigation of Its Possible Ferroelectric Behavior

The homochiral inorganic-organic hybrid compound (H(3)NHPA)(SnCl(3))(2)(H(2)O)(3) [1, (S)-4-(4'-aminophenyl)-2-aminobutanoic acid diammonium trichloride stannite triaqua] has a TGS (triglycine sulfate)-like structure. Preliminary investigation suggests a possible ferroelectric behavior with a saturation spontaneous polarization (P(s)) of ca. 3.5 microC.cm(-)(2), which is slightly greater than that of TGS (P(s) = 3.0 microC.cm(-)(2)).