Frontiers of organic conductors and superconductors

Organic Donor-Acceptor Complexes As Potential Semiconducting Materials

In this review article, the synthesis, characterization and physico-chemical properties of the organic donor-acceptor complexes are highlighted and a special emphasis has been placed on developing them as semiconducting materials. The electron-rich molecules, i. e., donors have been broadly grouped in three categories, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen heterocycles and sulphur containing aromatic donors. The reactions of these classes of the donors with the acceptors, namely tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), tetracyanobenzene (TCNB), benzoquinone, pyromellitic dianhydride and pyromellitic diimides, fullerenes, phenazine, benzothiadiazole, naphthalimide, DMAD, maleic anhydride, viologens and naphthalene diimide are described. The potential applications of the resulting DA complexes for physico-electronic purposes are also included. The theoretical investigation of many of these products with a view to rationalise their observed physico-chemical properties is also discussed.

Oxidation-induced activation of chalcogen bonding in redox-active bis(selenomethyl)tetrathiafulvalene derivatives

Tetrathiafulvalene, upon its oxidation, activates Se-atoms and consequently drives a strong and directional chalcogen bonding interaction with a bromide anion.

Modern History of Organic Conductors: An Overview

This short review article provides the reader with a summary of the history of organic conductors. To retain a neutral and objective point of view regarding the history, background, novelty, and details of each research subject within this field, a thousand references have been cited with full titles and arranged in chronological order. Among the research conducted over ~70 years, topics from the last two decades are discussed in more detail than the rest. Unlike other papers in this issue, this review will help readers to understand the origin of each topic within the field of organic conductors and how they have evolved. Due to the advancements achieved over these 70 years, the field is nearing new horizons. As history is often a reflection of the future, this review is expected to show the future directions of this research field.

Synthesis of Fluorogenic Arylureas and Amides and Their Interaction with Amines: A Competition between Turn-on Fluorescence and Organic Radicals on the Way to a Smart Label for Fish Freshness

We describe the synthesis of fluorogenic arylureas and amides and their interaction with primary or secondary amines under air and light in organic-aqueous mixtures to give rise to a new class of persistent organic radicals, described on the basis of their electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), as well as UV–vis, fluorescence, NMR, and quantum mechanics calculations, and their prospective use as multi-signal reporters in a smart label for fish freshness.

Interfacial charge transfer enhancement via formation of binary molecular assemblies on electronically corrugated boron nitride

Using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) in conjunction with finite element simulation, we investigate the interfacial behaviors in single-component zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and hexadecafluorinated zinc phthalocyanine (F16ZnPc) molecular overlayers as well as their 1 : 1 mixed-phase superstructures on h-BN/Cu(111). We show that the formation of the binary molecular superstructure drastically increases the charge transfer between F16ZnPc molecules and the substrate, which is attributed to the greater electrostatic stability of the binary assembly compared to that of the pure phase. This study highlights the significant complication in the design of donor-acceptor molecular thin films as the presence of the substrate, even a weakly interacting one, such as h-BN/metal, can still perturb the intermolecular charge transfer and thereby the physical behaviors of the hybrid system via interfacial processes.

SnPhPc phthalocyanines with dianion Pc(2-) and radical trianion Pc˙(3-) macrocycles: syntheses, structures, and properties

The interaction of Sn(IV)Cl2Pc with an excess of NaBPh4 in the presence of fullerenes C60 and C70 provides complete dissolution of Sn(IV)Cl2Pc and the formation of blue solutions from which the crystals of [SnPhPc(2-)](+)(BPh4)(-)·C6H14 () or [SnPhPc˙(3-)]·C6H4Cl2 () were selectively isolated. According to the optical spectra, salt contains dianionic Pc(2-) macrocycles, whereas macrocycles are reduced to form the Pc˙(3-) radical trianions in . As a result, the phthalocyanine macrocycle is dianionic in , and the positive charge of Sn(IV) is compensated by the Ph(-), Pc(2-), and BPh4(-) anions in this compound. The formally neutral compound contains two anionic species of Ph(-) and Pc˙(3-) and the Sn(IV) ion as the counter cation. Phenyl substituents are linked to the Sn(IV) atoms by the Sn-C(Ph) bonds of 2.098(2) () and 2.105(2) Å () length. The dianionic Pc(2-) macrocycle significantly deviates from planarity in while Pc˙(3-) is planar in . Salt manifests only a weak impurity EPR signal. Compound manifests an intense EPR signal with g = 2.0046 and a linewidth of 0.5 mT at 298 K due to the presence of Pc˙(3-). Spins are weakly antiferromagnetically coupled in the π-stacking [SnPhPc˙(3-)]2 dimers of with a Weiss temperature of -3 K and the estimated magnetic exchange interaction J/kB = -0.23 K.

Is iron unique in promoting electrical conductivity in MOFs?

Identifying the metal ions that optimize charge transport and charge density in metal–organic frameworks is critical for systematic improvements in the electrical conductivity in these materials.

Identifying the metal ions that optimize charge transport and charge density in metal–organic frameworks is critical for systematic improvements in the electrical conductivity in these materials. In this work, we measure the electrical conductivity and activation energy for twenty different MOFs pertaining to four distinct structural families: M₂(DOBDC)(DMF)₂ (M = Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺); H₄DOBDC = 2,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid; DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), M₂(DSBDC)(DMF)₂ (M = Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺; H₄DSBDC = 2,5-disulfhydrylbenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid), M₂Cl₂(BTDD)(DMF)₂ (M = Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺; H₂BTDD = bis(1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b],[4′,5′-i]dibenzo[1,4]dioxin), and M(1,2,3-triazolate)₂ (M = Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺). This comprehensive study allows us to single-out iron as the metal ion that leads to the best electrical properties. The iron-based MOFs exhibit at least five orders of magnitude higher electrical conductivity and significantly smaller charge activation energies across all different MOF families studied here and stand out materials made from all other metal ions considered here. We attribute the unique electrical properties of iron-based MOFs to the high-energy valence electrons of Fe²⁺ and the Fe^3+/2+ mixed valency. These results reveal that incorporating Fe²⁺ in the charge transport pathways of MOFs and introducing mixed valency are valuable strategies for improving electrical conductivity in this important class of porous materials.

Structure and characterization of charge transfer complexes of benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b′:5,6-b′′]trithiophene [C3h-BTT]

Four charge-transfer complexes of C_3h-BTT (2) with the organic acceptors TCNQ, F₄TCNQ, chloranil, and fluoranil were prepared and crystallographically characterized.

The metallic state in neutral radical conductors: dimensionality, pressure and multiple orbital effects

Pressure-induced changes in the solid-state structures and transport properties of three oxobenzene-bridged bisdithiazolyl radicals 2 (R = H, F, Ph) over the range 0-15 GPa are described. All three materials experience compression of their π-stacked architecture, be it (i) 1D ABABAB π-stack (R = Ph), (ii) quasi-1D slipped π-stack (R = H), or (iii) 2D brick-wall π-stack (R = F). While R = H undergoes two structural phase transitions, neither of R = F, Ph display any phase change. All three radicals order as spin-canted antiferromagnets, but spin-canted ordering is lost at pressures <1.5 GPa. At room temperature, their electrical conductivity increases rapidly with pressure, and the thermal activation energy for conduction Eact is eliminated at pressures ranging from ∼3 GPa for R = F to ∼12 GPa for R = Ph, heralding formation of a highly correlated (or bad) metallic state. For R = F, H the pressure-induced Mott insulator to metal conversion has been tracked by measurements of optical conductivity at ambient temperature and electrical resistivity at low temperature. For R = F compression to 6.2 GPa leads to a quasiquadratic temperature dependence of the resistivity over the range 5-300 K, consistent with formation of a 2D Fermi liquid state. DFT band structure calculations suggest that the ease of metallization of these radicals can be ascribed to their multiorbital character. Mixing and overlap of SOMO- and LUMO-based bands affords an increased kinetic energy stabilization of the metallic state relative to a single SOMO-based band system.

Tetrathiafulvalene-based radical cation salts with transition metal bis(dicarbollide) anions

Radical cation salts based on derivatives of tetrathiafulvalene and sandwiched transition metal bis(dicarbollide) anions are of great interest in the development of new molecular conducting materials.

Synthesis of tetrachalcogenide-substituted phenalenyl derivatives: preparation and solid-state characterization of bis(3,4,6,7-tetrathioalkyl-phenalenyl)boron radicals

We report the synthesis and properties of a series of spiro-bis(3,4,6,7-tetrachalcogenide-substituted-phenalenyl)boron salts and two of the corresponding tetrathioalkyl-substituted spiro-bis(phenalenyl)boron radicals [tetrathiomethyl (10) and tetrathioethyl (11)] in which all of the active positions of the phenalenyl (PLY) nucleus are functionalized. In the solid state, radicals 10 and 11 exist as a weak π-dimers due to the steric congestion of the thioalkyl groups in the superimposed PLY units. As a result, the spins are localized in the isolated (nonsuperimposed) PLY rings, and the structure, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and band structure calculations confirm that these PLY units are unable to undergo strong intermolecular interaction as a result of the orientation of the thioalkyl groups.

Understanding the structure and electronic properties of molecular crystals under pressure: application of dispersion corrected DFT to oligoacenes

Oligoacenes form a fundamental class of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) which have been extensively explored for use as organic (semi) conductors in the bulk phase and thin films. For this reason it is important to understand their electronic properties in the condensed phase. In this investigation, we use density functional theory with Tkatchenko-Scheffler dispersion correction to explore several crystalline oligoacenes (naphthalene, anthracene, tetracene, and pentacene) under pressures up to 25 GPa in an effort to uncover unique electronic/optical properties. Excellent agreement with experiment is achieved for the pressure dependence of the crystal structure unit cell parameters, densities, and intermolecular close contacts. The pressure dependence of the band gaps is investigated as well as the pressure induced phase transition of tetracene using both generalized gradient approximated and hybrid functionals. It is concluded that none of the oligoacenes investigated become conducting under elevated pressures, assuming that the molecular identity of the system is maintained.