Pressure Induced Phase Transitions and Metallization of a Neutral Radical Conductor

Review of Applications of Density Functional Theory (DFT) Quantum Mechanical Calculations to Study the High-Pressure Polymorphs of Organic Crystalline Materials

Since its inception, chemistry has been predominated by the use of temperature to generate or change materials, but applications of pressure of more than a few tens of atmospheres for such purposes have been rarely observed. However, pressure is a very effective thermodynamic variable that is increasingly used to generate new materials or alter the properties of existing ones. As computational approaches designed to simulate the solid state are normally tuned using structural data at ambient pressure, applying them to high-pressure issues is a highly challenging test of their validity from a computational standpoint. However, the use of quantum chemical calculations, typically at the level of density functional theory (DFT), has repeatedly been shown to be a great tool that can be used to both predict properties that can be later confirmed by experimenters and to explain, at the molecular level, the observations of high-pressure experiments. This article's main goal is to compile, analyze, and synthesize the findings of works addressing the use of DFT in the context of molecular crystals subjected to high-pressure conditions in order to give a general overview of the possibilities offered by these state-of-the-art calculations.

Magnetic coupling and spin ordering in bisdithiazolyl, thiaselenazolyl, and bisdiselenazolyl molecular materials

The use of purely organic materials is a promising approach for the miniaturization of devices due to their interesting optical, electronic and magnetic properties. Bisdithiazolyl-based bisDTA compounds have emerged as promising candidates for radical-based single component conductors exhibiting simultaneously magnetic properties. Our computational work focuses on the intriguing magnetism of 4 isostructural pyridine-bridged bisDTA-multifunctional materials triggered by their magnetic and conducting properties being strongly dependent on the different S/Se ratios in the neutral radical skeleton: specifically, bisdithiazolyl (S,S) displays no magnetic order at low temperatures, thiaselenazolyl (Se,S) exhibits spin-canted antiferromagnetism (AFM), and both (S,Se) and bisdiselenazolyl (Se,Se) behave as bulk ferromagnets (FM). Our results reveal that (1) the magnetic response depends on the existence of an intricate network of both AFM and FM spin exchange J_AB couplings between neighbouring radicals; and (2) the structural arrangement of π-stacked pairs of radicals sits on a point in the configurational space that is very close to a crossover region where J_AB switches from AFM to FM. Indeed, for bulk FM, the experimental response is only accounted for when considering an ab initio optimised crystal structure able to portray adequately the electronic structure of bisDTAs in the region close to the temperature at which magnetic ordering emerges. Magneto-structural correlation maps show the large sensitivity of J_AB to very small structural changes with temperature along the π-stacks that lead to drastic changes in the magnetic properties. Clearly, the understanding of magnetism in the title bisDTA compounds is decisive to rationally tailor the properties of multifunctional materials by subtle structural modifications of their crystal packing.

Benzenetriimide-Based Molecular Conductor with Antiferro- to Ferromagnetic Switching Induced by Structural Change of π-stacked Array

Benzenetriimide (BTI) is a promising building block for materials chemistry due to its characteristic 3-fold symmetry and redox properties, whereas little is known about its conductive and magnetic properties. In this study, we synthesized three charge-transfer complexes based on N,N',N''-trimethylbenzenetriimide (BTI-Me). One of the complexes contains isolated dimers of BTI-Me radical anion (BTI-Me•-), while the other two have the infinite π-stacked array of BTI-Me with the formal charge of -0.5. The latter two complexes did not show metallic behavior but showed semiconducting behavior due to the characteristic insulation in one-dimensional electron system, so-called charge ordering and dimer-Mott insulation. The magnetic susceptibility of the complex in dimer-Mott state exhibits an unusual transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic spin states with the hysteresis loop of 15 K derived from the structural phase transition around 130 K. These properties were also supported by DFT calculations.

Electronic structure and magnetic coupling in selenium substituted pyridine-bridged bisdithiazolyl multifunctional molecular materials

Bisdithiazolyl radicals have furnished in recent years multiple examples of molecular materials with promising conductive and magnetic properties. The electronic band structure and magnetic ordering in four different isostructural pyridine-bridged bisdithiazolyl and Selenium substituted compounds have been studied by means of hybrid DFT based methods as implemented in the CRYSTAL code. The full rationalization of the properties of these multifunctional magnetic molecular materials requires a careful description of their complex open-shell electronic structure. The results describe the systems as narrow band (0.2-0.3 eV dispersion) open-shell semiconductors with a gap of 1.15-1.40 eV between the valence and conducting bands. The bands defining the insulating gap are dominated by orbital contributions arising from the heteroatoms sitting in the outer rings. A low energy closed-shell metallic solution is found at 0.25-0.35 eV above the magnetic solutions thus suggesting a complex mechanism for electric conduction with band and hopping contributions. The observed trend of the conductivity is in line with the variation of the insulating gap but more rigorous modelling is required to take into account the details of the band structure of the systems. For all the systems the spin density is well localised on the molecular units and is independent of the magnetic solution. Thus the system can be described as an ensemble of well-defined S = 1/2 magnetic centres using a two-body Heisenberg-Dirac-van Vleck spin Hamiltonian. The lowest energy electronic solutions are in line with the observed magnetic behaviour at low temperature. The set of competing magnetic exchange interactions that emerges from using a suitable mapping to consistently describe the low energy magnetic solutions explains the variety of magnetic responses (absence of long-range magnetic order, antiferromagnetism or ferromagnetism) of the four studied compounds at low temperatures.

Tuning the donor-acceptor interactions in phase-segregated block molecules

The assembly of donor-acceptor molecules via charge transfer (CT) interactions gives rise to highly ordered nanomaterials with appealing electronic properties. Here, we present the synthesis and bulk co-assembly of pyrene (Pyr) and naphthalenediimide (NDI) functionalized oligodimethylsiloxanes (oDMS) of discrete length. We tune the donor-acceptor interactions by connecting the pyrene and NDI to the same oligomer, forming a heterotelechelic block molecule (NDI-oDMSPyr), and to two separate oligomers, giving Pyr and NDI homotelechelic block molecules (Pyr-oDMS and NDI-oDMS). Liquid crystalline materials are obtained for binary mixtures of Pyr-oDMS and NDI-oDMS, while crystallization of the CT dimers occurred for the heterotelechelic NDI-oDMS-Pyr block molecule. The synergy between crystallization and phase-segregation coupled with the discrete length of the oDMS units allows for perfect order and sharp interfaces between the insulating siloxane and CT layers composed of crystalline CT dimers. We were able to tune the lamellar domain spacing and donor-acceptor CT interactions by applying pressures up to 6 GPa on the material, making the system promising for soft-material nanotechnologies. These results demonstrate the importance of the molecular design to tune the CT interactions and stability of a CT material.

Crystal structure and metallization mechanism of the π-radical metal

Radical electrons tend to localize on individual molecules, resulting in an insulating (Mott-Hubbard) bandgap in the solid state. Herein, we report the crystal structure and intrinsic electronic properties of the first single crystal of a π-radical metal, tetrathiafulvalene-extended dicarboxylate (TED). The electrical conductivity is up to 30 000 S cm-1 at 2 K and 2300 S cm-1 at room temperature. Temperature dependence of resistivity obeys a T 3 power-law above T > 100 K, indicating a new type of metal. X-ray crystallographic analysis clarifies the planar TED molecule, with a symmetric intramolecular hydrogen bond, is stacked along longitudinal (the a-axis) and transverse (the b-axis) directions. The π-orbitals are distributed to avoid strong local interactions. First-principles electronic calculations reveal the origin of the metallization giving rise to a wide bandwidth exceeding 1 eV near the Fermi level. TED demonstrates the effect of two-dimensional stacking of π-orbitals on electron delocalization, where a high carrier mobility of 31.6 cm2 V-1 s-1 (113 K) is achieved.

Two-dimensional radical–cationic Mott insulator based on an electron donor containing neither a tetrathiafulvalene nor tetrathiapentalene skeleton

We have succeeded in developing a two-dimensional radical–cationic Mott insulator that does not contain a 1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene moiety.

A chemical perspective on high pressure crystal structures and properties

The general availability of third generation synchrotron sources has ushered in a new era of high pressure research. The crystal structure of materials under compression can now be determined by X-ray diffraction using powder samples and, more recently, from multi-nano single crystal diffraction. Concurrently, these experimental advancements are accompanied by a rapid increase in computational capacity and capability, enabling the application of sophisticated quantum calculations to explore a variety of material properties. One of the early surprises is the finding that simple metallic elements do not conform to the general expectation of adopting 3D close-pack structures at high pressure. Instead, many novel open structures have been identified with no known analogues at ambient pressure. The occurrence of these structural types appears to be random with no rules governing their formation. The adoption of an open structure at high pressure suggested the presence of directional bonds. Therefore, a localized atomic hybrid orbital description of the chemical bonding may be appropriate. Here, the theoretical foundation and experimental evidence supporting this approach to the elucidation of the high pressure crystal structures of group I and II elements and polyhydrides are reviewed. It is desirable and advantageous to extend and apply established chemical principles to the study of the chemistry and chemical bonding of materials at high pressure.

Strategy for Stimuli-Induced Spin Control Using a Liquescent Radical Cation

A liquescent salt based on an N-pentylphenothiazine radical cation (1 ^•+ ·NTf ₂ ^- ) exhibited a unique crystal-crystal phase transition from a paramagnetic orange solid to a diamagnetic green solid induced by brief, weak, and pinpoint mechanostress. Electron spin resonance and electronic spectroscopies revealed that this unprecedented solid-state spin controllability was attributable to mechanostress-triggered sequential association of the highly mobile radical species occurring under neat conditions.

The Importance of Electronic Dimensionality in Multiorbital Radical Conductors

The exceptional performance of oxobenzene-bridged bis-1,2,3-dithiazolyls 6 as single-component neutral radical conductors arises from the presence of a low-lying π-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, which reduces the potential barrier to charge transport and increases the kinetic stabilization energy of the metallic state. As part of ongoing efforts to modify the solid-state structures and transport properties of these so-called multiorbital materials, we report the preparation and characterization of the acetoxy, methoxy, and thiomethyl derivatives 6 (R = OAc, OMe, SMe). The crystal structures are based on ribbonlike arrays of radicals laced together by S···N' and S···O' secondary bonding interactions. The steric and electronic effects of the exocyclic ligands varies, affording one-dimensional (1D) π-stacked radicals for R = OAc, 1D cofacial dimer π-stacks for R = SMe, and a pseudo two-dimensional (2D) brick-wall arrangement for R = OMe. Variable-temperature magnetic and conductivity measurements reveal strong antiferromagnetic interactions and Mott insulating behavior for the two radical-based structures (R = OAc, OMe), with lower room-temperature conductivities (σ_RT ≈ 1 × 10^-4 and ∼1 × 10^-3 S cm^-1, respectively) and higher thermal activation energies ( E_act = 0.24 and 0.21 eV, respectively) than found for the ideal 2D brick-wall structure of 6 (R = F), where σ_RT ≈ 1 × 10^-2 S cm^-1 and E_act = 0.10 eV. The performance of R = OMe, OAc relative to that of R = F, is consistent with the results of density functional theory band electronic structure calculations, which indicate a lower kinetic stabilization energy of the putative metallic state arising from their reduced electronic dimensionality.

Structural, Magnetic, and Optical Studies of the Polymorphic 9'-Anthracenyl Dithiadiazolyl Radical

The fluorescent 9'-anthracenyl-functionalized dithiadiazolyl radical (3) exhibits four structurally determined crystalline phases, all of which are monomeric in the solid state. Polymorph 3α (monoclinic P2₁/ c, Z' = 2) is isolated when the radical is condensed onto a cold substrate (enthalpically favored polymorph), whereas 3β (orthorhombic P2₁ 2₁ 2₁, Z' = 3) is collected on a warm substrate (entropically favored polymorph). The α and β polymorphs exhibit chemically distinct structures with 3α exhibiting face-to-face π-π interactions between anthracenyl groups, while 3β exhibits edge-to-face π-π interactions. 3α undergoes an irreversible conversion to 3β on warming to 120 °C (393 K). The β-phase undergoes a series of reversible solid-state transformations on cooling; below 300 K a phase transition occurs to form 3γ (monoclinic P2₁/ c, Z' = 1), and on further cooling below 165 K, a further transition is observed to 3δ (monoclinic P2₁/ n, Z' = 2). Both 3β → 3γ and 3γ → 3δ transitions are reversible (single-crystal X-ray diffraction), and the 3γ → 3δ process exhibits thermal hysteresis with a clear feature observed by heat capacity measurements. Heating 3β above 160 °C generates a fifth polymorph (3ε) which is distinct from 3α-3δ based on powder X-ray diffraction data. The magnetic behavior of both 3α and the 3β/3γ/3δ system reflect an S = 1/2 paramagnet with weak antiferromagnetic coupling. The reversible 3δ ↔ 3γ phase transition exhibits thermal hysteresis of 20 K. Below 50 K, the value of χ_m T for 3δ approaches 0 emu·K·mol^-1 consistent with formation of a gapped state with an S = 0 ground-state configuration. In solution, both paramagnetic 3 and diamagnetic [3][GaCl₄] exhibit similar absorption and emission profiles reflecting similar absorption and emission mechanisms for paramagnetic and diamagnetic forms. Both emit in the deep-blue region of the visible spectrum (λ_em ∼ 440 nm) upon excitation at 255 nm with quantum yields of 4% (3) and 30% ([3][GaCl₄]) affording a switching ratio [Φ_F(3⁺)/Φ_F(3)] of 7.5 in quantum efficiency with oxidation state. Solid-state films of both 3 and [3][GaCl₄] exhibit emission bands at a longer wavelength (490 nm) attributed to excimer emission.

Effect of Substitution on the Hysteretic Phase Transition in a Bistable Phenalenyl-Based Neutral Radical Molecular Conductor

The ability to tune the physical properties of bistable organic functional materials by means of chemistry can facilitate their development for molecular electronic switching components. The butylamine-containing biphenalenyl boron neutral radical, [Bu]₂ B, crystalline compound has recently attracted significant attention by displaying a hysteretic phase transition accompanied by simultaneous bistability in magnetic, electrical, and optical properties close to room temperature. In this report, substitutional doping was applied to [Bu]₂ B by crystallizing solid solutions of bistable [Bu]₂ B and its non-radical-containing counterpart [Bu]₂ Be. With increasing doping degree, the hysteretic phase transition is gradually suppressed in terms of reducing the height, but conserves the width of the hysteresis loop as observed through magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity measurements. At the critical doping level of about 6 %, the abrupt transformation of the crystal structure to that of the pure [Bu]₂ Be crystal packing was observed, accompanied by a complete collapse of the hysteresis loop. Further study of the structure-properties relationships of bistable neutral radical conductors based on the [Bu]₂ B host can be conducted utilizing a variety of biphenalenyl-based molecular conductors.

Influence of organic cations on the stacking of semiquinone radical anions

A series of salts of tetrachloro- and tetrabromosemiquinone radical anions reveal four types of stacks: 1) pancake bonded dimers, 2) pancake-bonded trimers, 3) equidistant radicals and 4) a novel type of equidistant stacks of partially charged radicals.

Multifunctional Dithiadiazolyl Radicals: Fluorescence, Electroluminescence, and Photoconducting Behavior in Pyren-1'-yl-dithiadiazolyl

The pyren-1'-yl-functionalized dithiadiazolyl (DTDA) radical, C₁₆H₉CNSSN (1), is monomeric in solution and exhibits fluorescence in the deep-blue region of the visible spectrum (440 nm) upon excitation at 241 nm. The salt [1][GaCl₄] exhibits similar emission, reflecting the largely spectator nature of the radical in the fluorescence process, although the presence of the radical leads to a modest quenching of emission (Φ_F = 98% for 1⁺ and 50% for 1) through enhancement of non-radiative decay processes. Time-dependent density functional theory studies on 1 coupled with the similar emission profiles of both 1⁺ and 1 are consistent with the initial excitation being of predominantly pyrene π-π* character. Spectroscopic studies indicate stabilization of the excited state in polar media, with the fluorescence lifetime for 1 (τ = 5 ns) indicative of a short-lived excited state. Comparative studies between the energies of the frontier orbitals of pyren-1'-yl nitronyl nitroxide (2, which is not fluorescent) and 1 reveal that the energy mismatch and poor spatial overlap between the DTDA radical SOMO and the pyrene π manifold in 1 efficiently inhibit the non-radiative electron-electron exchange relaxation pathway previously described for 2. Solid-state films of both 1 and [1][GaCl₄] exhibit broad emission bands at 509 and 545 nm, respectively. Incorporation of 1 within a host matrix for OLED fabrication revealed electroluminescence, with CIE coordinates of (0.205, 0.280) corresponding to a sky-blue emission. The brightness of the device reached 1934 cd/m² at an applied voltage of 16 V. The crystal structure of 1 reveals a distorted π-stacked motif with almost regular distances between the pyrene rings but alternating long-short contacts between DTDA radicals. Solid state measurements on a thin film of 1 reveal emission occurs at shorter wavelengths (375 nm) whereas conductivity measurements on a single crystal of 1 show a photoconducting response at longer wavelength excitation (455 nm).

Subtle Steric Differences Impact the Structural and Conducting Properties of Radical Gold Bis(dithiolene) Complexes

Among single component molecular conductors, neutral radical gold dithiolene complexes [(R-thiazdt)₂ Au]^. derived from the N-alkyl-1,3-thiazoline-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate (R-thiazdt) ligand provide an extensive series of conducting, non-dimerized, half-filled band systems. Analogues of the known R=isopropyl (iPr) derivative were investigated here with R=NMe₂ , cyclopropyl (cPr) and n-propyl (nPr), aiming at rationalizing the different solid state structures adopted by these compounds despite very closely related substituents on the heterocyclic nitrogen atom. An original crisscross organization within dimerized chains is observed with R=NMe₂ , differing however from the analogous iPr derivative by a 180° rotation of the heterocyclic nitrogen substituent. On the other hand, the cyclopropyl and n-propyl substituents lead to robust, uniform, non-dimerized chains with a strongly 1 D electronic structure and a formal half-filled electronic structure. The semiconducting behaviour of these two radical complexes is characteristic of a Mott insulator, whose sensitivity to external pressure has been evaluated up to 2.5 GPa.

Changes in molecular film metallicity with minor modifications of the constitutive quinonoid zwitterions

The electronic properties of molecular films formed by quinonoid zwitterions deposited on gold are highly dependent on the nature of the N-substituent.

TTF–PTM dyads: from switched molecular self assembly in solution to radical conductors in solid state

Dyads formed by tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) linked to perchlorotriphenylmethyl (PTM) radicals exhibit interesting physical properties such as bistability in solution or conductivity in solid state.

Carrier generation and electronic properties of a single-component pure organic metal

Metallic conduction generally requires high carrier concentration and wide bandwidth derived from strong orbital interaction between atoms or molecules. These requisites are especially important in organic compounds because a molecule is fundamentally an insulator; only multi-component salts with strong intermolecular interaction-namely, only charge transfer complexes and conducting polymers-have demonstrated intrinsic metallic behaviour. Herein we report a single-component electroactive molecule, zwitterionic tetrathiafulvalene(TTF)-extended dicarboxylate radical (TED), exhibiting metallic conduction even at low temperatures. TED exhibits d.c. conductivities of 530 S cm^-1 at 300 K and 1,000 S cm^-1 at 50 K with copper-like electronic properties. Spectroscopic and theoretical investigations of the carrier-generation mechanism and the electronic states of this single molecular species reveal a unique electronic structure with a spin-density gradient in the extended TTF moieties that becomes, in itself, a metallic state.

The quest for rationalizing the magnetism in purely organic semiquinone-bridged bisdithiazolyl molecular magnets

Semiquinone-bridged bisdithiazolyl-based radicals (XBBO) are appealing purely organic magnetic building blocks for the synthesis of new functional materials. Remarkably, for the phenyl-derivative PhBBO, the rationalization of its magnetism becomes a proof of concept that DFT can dramatically fail to evaluate JAB magnetic interactions between purely organic radical pairs. Instead, wavefunction-based methods are required. Once JAB's are fully characterized, the magnetic topology of PhBBO is disclosed to consist of ferromagnetic FM π-stacks that are very weakly coupled (by FM and AFM JAB interactions). The magnetic susceptibility χT(T) and magnetization M(H) of PhBBO are then calculated using a first-principles bottom-up approach. The study of the unit cell contraction upon cooling from room temperature to zero-Kelvin is relevant to propose a suitable model for the phase transition that occurs at 4.5 K. A simplistic picture tells us that the antiparallel-aligned 1D-FM-chains convert into domains of weakly either FM- or AFM-coupled 1D-FM-chains. Accordingly, the presence of these domains may introduce geometrical spin frustration below 4.5 K.

The Antiferromagnetic Spin Coupling in Non-Kekulé Acenes-Impressive Polyradical Character Revealed by High-Level Multireference Methods

Complete active space (CASSCF) and multireference (MR-CISD(Q) and MR-AQCC) calculations were performed for non-Kekulé analogues of acenes, dimethylenepolycyclobutadienes, with lengths of up to eight cyclobutadiene (CBD) units. Multireference calculations predict that the most stable energy state of the system is either triplet (if there is an odd number of CBD units) or singlet (if there is an even number of CBD units) due to antiferromagnetic spin coupling, which thus violates Hund's rule in larger molecules. We also show an impressive polyradical character in the system that increases with the size of the molecule, as witnessed by more than eleven unpaired electrons in the singlet state of the molecule with eight CBD units. Together with the small energy gap between singlet and higher multiplicity energy states even above the triplet state, this demonstrates the exceptional polyradical properties of these π-conjugated oligomeric chains.

Single-Component Conductors: A Sturdy Electronic Structure Generated by Bulky Substituents

While the introduction of large, bulky substituents such as tert-butyl, -SiMe3, or -Si(isopropyl)3 has been used recently to control the solid state structures and charge mobility of organic semiconductors, this crystal engineering strategy is usually avoided in molecular metals where a maximized overlap is sought. In order to investigate such steric effects in single component conductors, the ethyl group of the known [Au(Et-thiazdt)2] radical complex has been replaced by an isopropyl one to give a novel single component molecular conductor denoted [Au(iPr-thiazdt)2] (iPr-thiazdt: N-isopropyl-1,3-thiazoline-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate). It exhibits a very original stacked structure of crisscross molecules interacting laterally to give a truly three-dimensional network. This system is weakly conducting at ambient pressure (5 S·cm(-1)), and both transport and optical measurements evidence a slowly decreasing energy gap under applied pressure with a regime change around 1.5 GPa. In contrast with other conducting systems amenable to a metallic state under physical or chemical pressure, the Mott insulating state is stable here up to 4 GPa, a consequence of its peculiar electronic structure.

Electronic Structures of Anti-Ferromagnetic Tetraradicals: Ab Initio and Semi-Empirical Studies

The energy relationships and electronic structures of the lowest-lying spin states in several anti-ferromagnetic tetraradical model systems are studied with high-level ab initio and semi-empirical methods. The Full-CI method (FCI), the complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2), and the n-electron valence state perturbation theory (NEVPT2) are employed to obtain reference results. By comparing the energy relationships predicted from the Heisenberg and Hubbard models with ab initio benchmarks, the accuracy of the widely used Heisenberg model for anti-ferromagnetic spin-coupling in low-spin polyradicals is cautiously tested in this work. It is found that the strength of electron correlation (|U/t|) concerning anti-ferromagnetically coupled radical centers could range widely from strong to moderate correlation regimes and could become another degree of freedom besides the spin multiplicity. Accordingly, the Heisenberg-type model works well in the regime of strong correlation, which reproduces well the energy relationships along with the wave functions of all the spin states. In moderately spin-correlated tetraradicals, the results of the prototype Heisenberg model deviate severely from those of multi-reference electron correlation ab initio methods, while the extended Heisenberg model, containing four-body terms, can introduce reasonable corrections and maintains its accuracy in this condition. In the weak correlation regime, both the prototype Heisenberg model and its extended forms containing higher-order correction terms will encounter difficulties. Meanwhile, the Hubbard model shows balanced accuracy from strong to weak correlation cases and can reproduce qualitatively correct electronic structures, which makes it more suitable for the study of anti-ferromagnetic coupling in polyradical systems.

Pushing TC to 27.5 K in a heavy atom radical ferromagnet

In the solid state the iodo-substituted bisdiselenazolyl radical 1c orders as a bulk ferromagnet with T_C = 10.5 K. With the application of pressure T_C rises rapidly, reaching a value of 27.5 K at 2.4 GPa.

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.

Band Structure Engineering by Substitutional Doping in Solid-State Solutions of [5-Me-PLY(O,O)]2B(1-x)Be(x) Radical Crystals

We report the substitutional doping of solid-state spiro-bis(5-methyl-1,9-oxido-phenalenyl)boron radical ([2]2B) by co-crystallization of this radical with the corresponding spiro-bis(5-methyl-1,9-oxido-phenalenyl)beryllium compound ([2]2Be). The pure compounds crystallize in different space groups ([2]2B, P1̅, Z = 2; [2]2Be, P2₁/c, Z = 4) with distinct packing arrangements, yet we are able to isolate crystals of composition [2]2B(1-x)Be(x), where x = 0-0.59. The phase transition from the P1̅ to the P2₁/c space group occurs at x = 0.1, but the conductivities of the solid solutions are enhanced and the activation energies reduced for values of x = 0-0.25. The molecular packing is driven by the relative concentration of the spin-bearing ([2]2B) and spin-free ([2]2Be) molecules in the crystals, and the extended Hückel theory band structures show that the progressive incorporation of spin-free [2]2Be in the lattice of the [2]2B radical (overall bandwidth, W = 1.4 eV, in the pure compound) leads to very strong narrowing of the bandwidth, which reaches a minimum at [2]2Be (W = 0.3 eV). The results provide a graphic picture of the structural transformations undergone by the lattice, and at certain compositions we are able to identify distinct structures for the [2]2B and [2]2Be molecules in a single crystalline phase.

Pressure-induced conductivity and yellow-to-black piezochromism in a layered Cu-Cl hybrid perovskite

Pressure-induced changes in the electronic structure of two-dimensional Cu-based materials have been a subject of intense study. In particular, the possibility of suppressing the Jahn-Teller distortion of d(9) Cu centers with applied pressure has been debated over a number of decades. We studied the structural and electronic changes resulting from the application of pressures up to ca. 60 GPa on a two-dimensional copper(II)-chloride perovskite using diamond anvil cells (DACs), through a combination of in situ powder X-ray diffraction, electronic absorption and vibrational spectroscopy, dc resistivity measurements, and optical observations. Our measurements show that compression of this charge-transfer insulator initially yields a first-order structural phase transition at ca. 4 GPa similar to previous reports on other Cu(II)-Cl perovskites, during which the originally translucent yellow solid turns red. Further compression induces a previously unreported phase transition at ca. 8 GPa and dramatic piezochromism from translucent red-orange to opaque black. Two-probe dc resistivity measurements conducted within the DAC show the first instance of appreciable conductivity in Cu(II)-Cl perovskites. The conductivity increases by 5 orders of magnitude between 7 and 50 GPa, with a maximum measured conductivity of 2.9 × 10(-4) S·cm(-1) at 51.4 GPa. Electronic absorption spectroscopy and variable-temperature conductivity measurements indicate that the perovskite behaves as a 1.0 eV band-gap semiconductor at 39.7 GPa and has an activation energy for electronic conduction of 0.232(1) eV at 40.2 GPa. Remarkably, all these changes are reversible: the material reverts to a translucent yellow solid upon decompression, and ambient pressure powder X-ray diffraction data taken before and after compression up to 60 GPa show that the original structure is maintained with minimal hysteresis.

When a single hole aligns several spins: double exchange in organic systems

The double exchange is a well-known and technically important phenomenon in solid state physics. Ionizing a system composed of two antiferromagnetically coupled high-spin units, the ground state of which is a singlet state, may actually produce a high-spin ground state. This work illustrates the possible occurrence of such a phenomenon in organic chemistry. The here-considered high-spin units are triangulenes, the ground state of which is a triplet. Bridging two of them through a benzene ring produces a molecular architecture of singlet ground state. A careful exploitation of a series of unrestricted density functional calculations enables one to avoid spin contamination in the treatment of the doublet states and shows that under ionization the system becomes of quartet multiplicity in its ground state. The possibility to align more than three spins from conjugated hydrocarbon polyradicals is explored, considering partially hydrogenated triangulenes. A dramatic example shows that ionization of a singlet ground state molecule may generate a decuplet.