Hydrogen-bonded donor–acceptor compounds for organic ferroelectric materials

Crystal structures of 1,1'-bis-(carb-oxy-meth-yl)-4,4'-bipyridinium derivatives

The crystal structures of 2-[1'-(carb-oxy-meth-yl)-4,4'-bi-pyridine-1,1'-diium-1-yl]acetate tetra-fluoro-borate, C14H13N2O4 +·BF4 - or (Hbcbpy)(BF4), and neutral 1,1'-bis-(carboxyl-atometh-yl)-4,4'-bi-pyridine-1,1'-diium (bcbpy), C14H20N2O8, are reported. The asymmetric unit of the (Hbcbpy)(BF4) consists of a Hbcbpy+ monocation, a BF4 - anion, and one-half of a water mol-ecule. The BF4 - anion is disordered. Two pyridinium rings of the Hbcbpy+ monocation are twisted at a torsion angle of 30.3 (2)° with respect to each other. The Hbcbpy monocation contains a carb-oxy-lic acid group and a deprotonated carboxyl-ate group. Both groups exhibit both a long and a short C-O bond. The cations are linked by inter-molecular hydrogen-bonding inter-actions between the carb-oxy-lic acid and the deprotonated carboxyl-ate group to give one-dimensional zigzag chains. The asymmetric unit of the neutral bcbpy consists of one-half of the bcbpy and two water mol-ecules. In contrast to the Hbcbpy+ monocation, the neutral bcbpy mol-ecule contains two pyridinium rings that are coplanar with each other and a carboxyl-ate group with similar C-O bond lengths. The mol-ecules are connected by inter-molecular hydrogen-bonding inter-actions between water mol-ecules and carboxyl-ate groups, forming a three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network.

Anion-assisted supramolecular polymerization of luminescent organic π-conjugated chromophores in a moderately polar solvent: tunable nanostructures and their corresponding effects on electronic properties

Supramolecular polymers of π-conjugated organic chromophores have emerged as promising candidates in organic electronics because of their dynamic and highly ordered molecular organization. Herein, we demonstrate the formation of luminescent, highly conducting supramolecular polymers of a functionalized naphthalimide π-chromophore-based organic semiconductor in a moderately polar organic solvent (tetrahydrofuran) by overcoming solute-solvent H-bonding via assistance from fluoride anions. The polymerization is exclusively guided by the synergistic effects of cascade H-bonding (F-⋯H-N- of primary amines, followed by -CO⋯H-N- of amides), π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions. An increasing molar equivalent of anions leads to a morphology transition from 1D nanowires to 2D nanosheets via nanotubes and nanorings, but above a particular threshold of the same anion, depolymerization-mediated disruption of long-range order and formation of non-luminescent spherical particles was observed. Such significant impacts of anions in supramolecular polymerization-depolymerization were utilized in modulating the electronic properties of this naphthalimide-based organic semiconductor.

A folded π-system with supramolecularly oriented dipoles: single-component piezoelectric relaxor with NLO activity

Organic molecules with an active dipole moment have a natural propensity to align in an antiparallel fashion in the solid state, resulting in zero macroscopic polarization. This primary limitation makes the material unresponsive to switching with electric fields, mechanical forces, and to intense laser light. A single-component organic material that bestows macroscopic dipole-driven electro-mechanical and optical functions, e.g., piezoelectric, ferroelectric and nonlinear optical (NLO) activity, is unprecedented due to the design challenges imparted by crystal symmetry and dipole orientations. Herein we report a crystalline organic material that self-assembles with a polar order (P ₁), and is endowed with a high piezoelectric coefficient (d ₃₃-47 pm V^-1), as well as ferroelectric and Debye-type relaxor properties. In addition, it shows second harmonic generation (SHG) activity, which is more than five times that of the benchmark potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM) images validated electro-mechanical deformations. Piezoresponse force spectroscopy (PFS) studies confirmed a signature butterfly-like amplitude and a phase loop. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a folded supramolecular π-system that manifests unidirectionally oriented dipoles and exhibits piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, and has excellent ability to generate second harmonic light. These findings can herald new design possibilities based on folded architectures to explore opto-, electro- and mechano-responsive multifaceted functions.

Stable room temperature ferroelectricity in hydrogen-bonded supramolecular assemblies of ambipolar π-systems

This article reports H-bonding driven supramolecular polymerization of naphthalimide (A)-thiophene (D)-naphthalimide (A) (AD n A, n = 1-4) conjugated ambipolar π-systems and its remarkable impact on room temperature ferroelectricity. Electrochemical studies confirm the ambipolar nature of these AD n A molecules with the HOMO-LUMO gap varying between 2.05 and 2.29 eV. Electron density mapping from ESP calculations reveals intra-molecular charge separation as typically observed in ambipolar systems. In the aggregated state, AD1A and AD2A exhibit bathochromically shifted absorption bands while AD3A and AD4A show typical H-aggregation with a hypsochromic shift. Polarization vs. electric field (P-E) measurements reveal stable room temperature ferroelectricity for these supramolecular assemblies, most prominent for the AD2A system, with a Curie temperature (T c) ≈ 361 K and saturation polarization (P s) of ∼2 μC cm-2 at a rather low coercive field of ∼2 kV cm-1. Control molecules, lacking either the ambipolar chromophore or the amide functionality, do not show any ferroelectricity, vindicating the present molecular and supramolecular design. Computational studies enable structural optimization of the stacked oligomer(s) of AD2A molecules and reveal a significant increase in the macro-dipole moment (in the range of 10-12 Debye) going from the monomer to the oligomer(s), which provides the rationale for the origin of ferroelectricity in these supramolecular polymers.

One-dimensional DABCO hydrogen-bonding chain in a hexagonal channel of magnetic [Ni(dmit)2]

Crystals of (HDABCO+)9(DABCO)[Ni(dmit)2]9·6CH3CN were shown to have a space group of R3[combining macron], a hexapetal flower-like channel of [Ni(dmit)2] anions, and a one-dimensional hydrogen bonding chain composed of protonated DABCO and CH3CN molecules. The crystals display antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions within and between hexamers, respectively, whereas the flexible DABCO-CH3CN array shows dielectric relaxation.

Interplay between spin crossover and proton migration along short strong hydrogen bonds

The iron(ii) salt [Fe(bpp)2](isonicNO)2·HisonicNO·5H2O (1) (bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine; isonicNO = isonicotinate N-oxide anion) undergoes a partial spin crossover (SCO) with symmetry breaking at T 1 = 167 K to a mixed-spin phase (50% high-spin (HS), 50% low-spin (LS)) that is metastable below T 2 = 116 K. Annealing the compound at lower temperatures results in a 100% LS phase that differs from the initial HS phase in the formation of a hydrogen bond (HB) between two water molecules (O4W and O5W) of crystallisation. Neutron crystallography experiments have also evidenced a proton displacement inside a short strong hydrogen bond (SSHB) between two isonicNO anions. Both phenomena can also be detected in the mixed-spin phase. 1 undergoes a light-induced excited-state spin trapping (LIESST) of the 100% HS phase, with breaking of the O4W⋯O5W HB and the onset of proton static disorder in the SSHB, indicating the presence of a light-induced activation energy barrier for proton motion. This excited state shows a stepped relaxation at T 1(LIESST) = 68 K and T 2(LIESST) = 76 K. Photocrystallography measurements after the first relaxation step reveal a single Fe site with an intermediate geometry, resulting from the random distribution of the HS and LS sites throughout the lattice.

Strain Relief during Ice Growth on a Hexagonal Template

Heterogeneous ice nucleation at solid surfaces impacts many areas of science, from environmental processes, such as precipitation, to microbiological systems and food processing, but the microscopic mechanisms underpinning nucleation remain unclear. Discussion of ice growth has often focused around the role of the surface in templating the structure of water, forcing the first layer to adopt the registry of the underlying substrate rather than that of ice. To grow a thick ice film, water in the first few ice layers must accommodate this strain, but understanding how this occurs requires detailed molecular-scale information that is lacking. Here we combine scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and work-function measurements with electronic structure calculations to investigate the initial stages of ice growth on a Pt alloy surface, having a lattice spacing 6% larger than ice. Although the first layer of water forms a strictly commensurate hexagonal network, this behavior does not extend to the second layer. Instead, water forms a 2D structure containing extended defect rows made from face-sharing pentamer and octamer rings. The defect rows allow the majority of second-layer water to remain commensurate with the solid surface while compensating lateral strain by increasing the water density close to that of an ice surface. The observation of octamer-pentamer rows in ice films formed on several surfaces suggests that the octamer-pentamer defect motif acts as a flexible strain relief mechanism in thin ice films, providing a mechanism that is not available during the growth of strained films in other materials, such as semiconductors.

Drastic rearrangement of self-assembled hydrogen-bonded tapes in a molecular crystal

A 2 : 1 hydrogen-bonded crystal of 2-pyrrolidone and chloranilic acid shows structural phase transitions accompanied by the drastic rearrangement of hydrogen-bonded tapes. Such a phenomenon is attributed to the selective and directional character of hydrogen bonds.

Unmasking the Mechanism of Structural Para- to Ferroelectric Phase Transition in (NH4)2SO4

New nontoxic and biocompatible ferroelectric materials are a subject undergoing intense study. One of the most promising research branches is focused on H-bonded organic or hybrid ferroelectrics. The engineering of these materials is based on mimicking the phase transition mechanisms of the well-known inorganic ferroelectrics. In our study, a coupled experimental and theoretical methodology was used for a precise investigation of the ferroelectric phase transition mechanism in ammonium sulfate (AS). A series of single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements were performed in the temperature range between 273 and 163 K. The detailed inspection of the obtained static structural data, in the above-mentioned temperature range, allowed us to reveal dynamical effects at the ferroelectric phase transition. Accurate analysis of all geometrical features within the obtained crystal structures was carried out. The results were discussed in the view of previously discovered physical properties. X-ray studies were complemented by the use of quantum theory of atoms in molecules calculations and Hirshfeld surface analysis. Valence shell charge concentration analysis allowed us to find the subtle changes between charge density distribution within SO₄^2- in para- and ferroelectric phases. H-bond interactions, geometrically classified in both AS phases, were all confirmed by the appropriate critical points. The interaction energies were estimated for the structures at 273, 233, 213, 183, and 163 K. Correlation between the geometrical approach and the results of theoretical calculations enabled us to discover the differences in interaction equilibrium between the AS phases. The mechanism of the phase transition originates from the disruption of the vibrational lattice mode between sulfate anions. Our studies resolved the problem, which was under discussion for more than 60 years.

Solid-state structure and electronic states of hydrogen-bonded dimer of pyridyl-substituted tetrathiafulvalene salted with PF6−

Our results clarified uniqueness in hydrogen bonding TTFPy dimer in which proton in hydrogen bond was thermally fluctuated. In addition, the fluctuation was coupled with π-electronic systems of TTF moiety where electric dipole moment was amplified.

In Situ Solid-State Reactions Monitored by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy: Temperature-Induced Proton Transfer Leads to Chemical Shifts

The dramatic colour and phase alteration with the solid-state, temperature-dependent reaction between squaric acid and 4,4'-bipyridine has been probed in situ with X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The electronic and chemical sensitivity to the local atomic environment through chemical shifts in the near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) revealed proton transfer from the acid to the bipyridine base through the change in nitrogen protonation state in the high-temperature form. Direct detection of proton transfer coupled with structural analysis elucidates the nature of the solid-state process, with intermolecular proton transfer occurring along an acid-base chain followed by a domino effect to the subsequent acid-base chains, leading to the rapid migration along the length of the crystal. NEXAFS thereby conveys the ability to monitor the nature of solid-state chemical reactions in situ, without the need for a priori information or long-range order.

Photoresponsive Cyanostilbene Bent-Core Liquid Crystals as New Materials with Light-Driven Modulated Polarization

Two isomeric cyanostilbene photoswitchable bent-core mesogens with polar liquid crystal phases in which macroscopic polarization and luminescence can be light-modulated are introduced. Z/E isomerization or [2+2] cycloaddition photochemical processes occur depending on the chemical structure, which make the compounds very innovative multifunctional advanced materials.

Experimental (X-ray, (13)C CP/MAS NMR, IR, RS, INS, THz) and Solid-State DFT Study on (1:1) Co-Crystal of Bromanilic Acid and 2,6-Dimethylpyrazine

A combined structural, vibrational spectroscopy, and solid-state DFT study of the hydrogen-bonded complex of bromanilic acid with 2,6-dimethylpyrazine is reported. The crystallographic structure was determined by means of low-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which reveals the molecular units in their native protonation states, forming one-dimensional infinite nets of moderate-strength O···H-N hydrogen bonds. The nature of the crystallographic forces, stabilizing the studied structure, has been drawn by employing the noncovalent interactions analysis. It was found that, in addition to the hydrogen bonding, the intermolecular forces are dominated by stacking interactions and C-H···O contacts. The thermal and calorimetric analysis was employed to probe stability of the crystal phase. The structural analysis was further supported by a computationally assisted (13)C CP/MAS NMR study, providing a complete assignment of the recorded resonances. The vibrational dynamics was explored by combining the optical (IR, Raman, TDs-THz) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectroscopy techniques with the state-of-the-art solid-state density functional theory (DFT) computations. Despite the quasi-harmonic approximation assumed throughout the study, an excellent agreement between the theoretical and experimental data was achieved over the entire spectral range, allowing for a deep and possibly thorough understanding of the vibrational characteristics of the system. Particularly, the significant influence of the long-range dipole coupling on the IR spectrum has been revealed. On the basis of a wealth of information gathered, the recent implementation of a dispersion-corrected linear-response scheme has been extensively examined.

Reversible phase transition of 2-carboxypyridinium perchlorate-pyridinium-2-carboxylate (1/1)

The title salt, C6H6NO2(+)·ClO4(-)·C6H5NO2, was crystallized from an aqueous solution of equimolar quantities of perchloric acid and pyridine-2-carboxylic acid. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements show that the compound undergoes a reversible phase transition at about 261.7 K, with a wide heat hysteresis of 21.9 K. The lower-temperature polymorph (denoted LT; T = 223 K) crystallizes in the space group C2/c, while the higher-temperature polymorph (denoted RT; T = 296 K) crystallizes in the space group P2/c. The relationship between these two phases can be described as: 2a(RT) = a(LT); 2b(RT) = b(LT); c(RT) = c(LT). The crystal structure contains an infinite zigzag hydrogen-bonded chain network of 2-carboxypyridinium cations. The most distinct difference between the higher (RT) and lower (LT) temperature phases is the change in dihedral angle between the planes of the carboxylic acid group and the pyridinium ring, which leads to the formation of different ten-membered hydrogen-bonded rings. In the RT phase, both the perchlorate anions and the hydrogen-bonded H atom within the carboxylic acid group are disordered. The disordered H atom is located on a twofold rotation axis. In the LT phase, the asymmetric unit is composed of two 2-carboxypyridinium cations, half an ordered perchlorate anion with ideal tetrahedral geometry and a disordered perchlorate anion. The phase transition is attributable to the order-disorder transition of half of the perchlorate anions.

Organic photovoltaics without p–n junctions: a computational study of ferroelectric columnar molecular clusters

A ferroelectrically arranged intermolecular hydrogen bond network provides a force for splitting exciton into charge carriers and the generation of photovoltaic effects.

Design of ferroelectric organic molecular crystals with ultrahigh polarization

Inspired by recent successful synthesis of room-temperature ferroelectric supramolecular charge-transfer complexes, i.e., tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)- and pyromellitic diimide (PMDI)-based crystals (Tayi et al. Nature 2012, 488, 485-489), three new ferroelectric two-component organic molecular crystals are designed based on the TTF and PMDI motifs and an extensive polymorph search. To achieve energetically favorable packing structures for the crystals, a newly developed computational approach that combines polymorph predictor with density functional theory (DFT) geometry optimization is employed. Tens of thousands of packing structures for the TTF- and PMDI-based crystals are first generated based on the limited number of asymmetric units in a unit cell as well as limited common symmetry groups for organocarbon crystals. Subsequent filtering of these packing structures by comparing with the reference structures yields dozens of promising crystal structures. Further DFT optimizations allow us to identify several highly stable packing structures that possess the space group of P2₁ as well as high to ultrahigh spontaneous polarizations (23-127 μC/cm(2)) along the crystallographic b axis. These values are either comparable to or much higher than the computed value (25 μC/cm(2)) or measured value (55 μC/cm(2)) for the state-of-the-art organic supramolecular systems. The high polarization arises from the ionic displacement. We further construct surface models to derive the electric-field-switched low-symmetry structures of new TTF- and PMDI-based crystals. By comparing the high-symmetry and low-symmetry crystal structures, we find that the ferroelectric polarization of the crystals is very sensitive to atomic positions, and a small molecular displacement may result in relatively high polarizations along the a and c axes, polarity reversal, and/or electronic contribution to polarization. If these newly designed TTF- and PMDI-based crystals with high polarizations are confirmed by experiments, the computer-aided ferroelectric material design on the basis of hydrogen-bonded charge-transfer complexes with flexible electron-donor and acceptor molecules would be proven valuable for expediting the search of room-temperature "displasive-type" ferroelectric organic crystals.

Self-assembly patterns of steroid-based all-organic ferroelectrics: valuable insights from the single-crystals derived from an organogel and solution

We report herein the first example of a single-crystal grown from a steroid-based organogel matrix.

Hydrogen-bond landscapes, geometry and energetics of squaric acid and its mono- and dianions: a Cambridge Structural Database, IsoStar and computational study

As part of a programme of work to extend central-group coverage in the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre's (CCDC) IsoStar knowledge base of intermolecular interactions, we have studied the hydrogen-bonding abilities of squaric acid (H2SQ) and its mono- and dianions (HSQ(-) and SQ(2-)) using the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) along with dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) calculations for a range of hydrogen-bonded dimers. The -OH and -C=O groups of H2SQ, HSQ(-) and SQ(2-) are potent donors and acceptors, as indicated by their hydrogen-bond geometries in available crystal structures in the CSD, and by the attractive energies calculated for their dimers with acetone and methanol, which were used as model acceptors and donors. The two anions have sufficient examples in the CSD for their addition as new central groups in IsoStar. It is also shown that charge- and resonance-assisted hydrogen bonds involving H2SQ and HSQ(-) are similar in strength to those made by carboxylate COO(-) acceptors, while hydrogen bonds made by the dianion SQ(2-) are somewhat stronger. The study reinforces the value of squaric acid and its anions as cocrystal formers and their actual and potential importance as isosteric replacements for carboxylic acid and carboxylate functions.

Stable Molecular Complex of Squaric Acid with 2-(Quinuclidinium)propionate

Squaric acid (3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobuten-1,2-dione, H2SQ) forms a complex with 2-(quinuclidinium)propionate (QNPr). In crystals, the molecules of H2SQ and zwitterions of QNPr are bridged by two strong non-equivalent O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds of 2.476(2) and 2.482(1) Å. The complex is investigated by X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and NMR techniques, and the results are supported by density functional theory calculations. The solid-state aggregation is consistent with the NMR results, recorded for an aqueous solution, and is also reproduced for the structure optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The calculated IR frequencies for the optimized structure have been used for the assignment of the experimental FTIR spectrum, where the broad absorption at ~2400 cm–1 corresponds to the short asymmetric OH⋯O bonds.

Giant deuteron migration during the isosymmetric phase transition in deuterated 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid

Deuterated 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid exhibits reversible temperature-induced deuteron migration of a magnitude unprecedented in this class of compounds. We used a combination of variable-temperature powder and single-crystal neutron diffraction and density functional theory (DFT)-based computational methods to elucidate the origin of this remarkable behaviour. Single-crystal neutron diffraction shows that between 15 and 300 K, the deuteron moves by 0.32(1) Å and the structure changes from a low-temperature N-D···O form to a high-temperature N···D-O form. Variable-temperature powder neutron-diffraction data, which was fitted by using parametric Rietveld refinement, show that this deuteron migration is due to an isosymmetric, first-order phase transition that occurs by growth of the daughter phase in the parent-phase matrix. Similar phase transitions are observed in two selectively deuterated forms of the material. DFT calculations demonstrate the role of phonons and show that vibrational free-energy stabilisation, which plays a key role in the observed structural phase transitions, is more pronounced in the fully deuterated material and proportional to the mass of the molecule, that is, the level of deuteration. This is consistent with our experimental work, for which distinct crystallographic phase transitions were clearly observed for the three deuterated systems, but not for the fully protonated material.

Bis(guanidinium) chloranilate

The asymmetric unit of the title co-crystal, 2CH₆N₃⁺·C₆Cl₂O₄²⁻, contains one half of a chloranilate anion and one guanidinium cation, which are connected by strong N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a two-dimensional network.

Oriented single-crystal-like molecular arrangement of optically nonlinear 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline in electrospun nanofibers

In-plane aligned nanofibers of organic 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (MNA) were produced by the electrospinning technique using a 1:1 weight ratio with poly(l-lactic acid). The fibers are capable of enormous efficient optical second harmonic generation as strong as pure MNA crystals in powder form. Structural, spectroscopic, and second harmonic generation polarimetry studies show that the MNA crystallizes within the fibers in an orientation in which the aromatic rings of MNA are predominantly orientated edge-on with respect to the plane of the fiber array and with their dipole moments aligned with the fiber axis. The results show that the electrospinning technique is an effective method to fabricate all-organic molecular functional devices based on polymer nanofibers with guest molecules possessing strong nonlinear optical and/or polar properties.

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.