Mechanochemical Syntheses of Isostructural Luminescent Cocrystals of 9-Anthracenecarboxylic Acid with two Dipyridines Coformers

Tuning and controlling the solid-state photophysical properties of organic luminophore are very important to develop next-generation organic luminescent materials. With the aim of discovering new functional luminescent materials, new cocrystals of 9-anthracene carboxylic acid (ACA) were prepared with two different dipyridine coformers: 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane. The cocrystals were successfully obtained by both mechanochemical approaches and conventional solvent crystallization. The newly obtained crystalline solids were characterized thoroughly using a combination of single crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Structural analysis revealed that the cocrystals are isostructural, exhibiting two-fold interpenetrated hydrogen bonded networks. While the O–H···N hydrogen bonds adopts a primary role in the stabilization of the cocrystal phases, the C–H···O hydrogen bonding interactions appear to play a significant role in guiding the three-dimensional assembly. Both π···π and C–H···π interactions assist in stabilizing the interpenetrated structure. The photoluminescence properties of both the starting materials and cocrystals were examined in their solid states. All the cocrystals display tunable photophysical properties as compared to pure ACA. Density functional theory simulations suggest that the modified optical properties result from charge transfers between the ACA and coformer molecules in each case. This study demonstrates the potential of crystal engineering to design solid-state luminescence switching materials through cocrystallization.

Control of polymorphism in thiophene derivatives by sublimation-aided nanostructuring

Here we applied the concept of “sublimation-aided nanostructuring” to control the polymorphism of a model material.

Polymorphism as an additional functionality of materials for technological applications at surfaces and interfaces

This tutorial aims to divulge to the chemistry community the information that polymorphism can be directly exploited as a property in a variety of technological applications.

A new CdII coordination polymer with a self-penetrating architecture induced by the molecular conformation of a rigid bithiophene ligand

The design and synthesis of coordination polymers with a self-penetrating architecture has attracted much interest not only due to their interesting structures but also due to their potential applications. 5,5'-Bis(pyridin-4-yl)-2,2'-bithiophene (bpbp), as a conjugated bithiophene ligand, can exhibit trans and cis conformations and this can lead to the construction of a self-penetrating architecture. In addition, the semi-rigid ancillary ligand 4,4'-oxybis(benzoic acid) (H₂oba) can adopt different coordination modes, resulting in coordination polymers with high-dimensional skeletons. A new Cd^II coordination polymer based on mixed ligands, namely poly[diaquapentakis[μ-5,5'-bis(pyridin-4-yl)-2,2'-bithiophene-κ²N:N']bis(nitrato-κ²O,O')tetrakis(μ₃-4,4'-oxydibenzoato)-κ¹⁰O:O,O':O'',O''';κ⁶O:O':O''-pentacadmium(II)], [Cd₅(C₁₄H₁₄O₅)₄(NO₃)₂(C₁₈H₁₂N₂S₂)₅(H₂O)₂]_n, (I), has been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicates that there are three crystallographically independent Cd^II cations, three bpbp ligands, two deprotonated oba^2- ligands, one nitrate ligand and one coordinated water molecule in the asymmetric unit. One Cd^II centre is seven-coordinated, exhibiting a distorted {CdN₂O₅} pentagonal bipyramidal geometry, while the other two Cd centres are both six-coordinated, showing slightly distorted {CdN₂O₄} octahedral geometries. The most interesting feature is the co-existence of trans and cis conformations in a single net, allowing structural interpenetration via self-threading and yet the expected self-penetrating structure was obtained. Topological analysis shows that the whole three-dimensional framework can be classified as a 3-nodal (4,6,6)-c net with Schläfli symbol {6¹³.8²}₂{6⁶}, which is a new topology. Furthermore, the luminescence properties of (I) were examined in the solid state at room temperature.

A synergic approach of X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy for crystal structure determination of 2,3-thienoimide capped oligothiophenes

This work presents a Raman based approach for the rapid identification of the molecular conformation in a series of new 2,3-thienoimide capped quaterthiophenes.

Supramolecular architectures self-assembled using long chain alkylated spin crossover cobalt(ii) compounds

Self-assembled hybrid supramolecular architectures formed between amphiphilic anion and long alkylated cationic cobalt(ii) complexes have been synthesized and characterized.

Surface induces different crystal structures in a room temperature switchable spin crossover compound

We investigated the influence of surfaces in the formation of different crystal structures of a spin crossover compound, namely [Fe(L)2] (LH: (2-(pyrazol-1-yl)-6-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)pyridine), which is a neutral compound thermally switchable around room temperature. We observed that the surface induces the formation of two different crystal structures, which exhibit opposite spin transitions, i.e. on heating them up to the transition temperature, one polymorph switches from high spin to low spin and the second polymorph switches irreversibly from low spin to high spin. We attributed this inversion to the presence of water molecules H-bonded to the complex tetrazolyl moieties in the crystals. Thin deposits were investigated by means of polarized optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and micro Raman spectroscopy; moreover the analysis of the Raman spectra and the interpretation of spin inversion were supported by DFT calculations.

Theoretical insights on morphology and charge transport properties of two-dimensional N,N′-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetra carboxylic diimide aggregates

An integrated computational approach, based on molecular dynamics and density functional theory, reveals an interplay between morphology, processing and charge transport properties in layered aggregates of PTCDI-C13.

Synthesis and structure–property relationships of phthalimide and naphthalimide based organic π-conjugated small molecules

Six organic π-conjugated small molecules with a bithiophene core and aryl imide terminal units are reported. The impact of alky side chain length and topology, and aryl imide size on materials properties in solution and as thin-films was investigated.

Organic Materials for Time-Temperature Integrator Devices

Time-temperature integrators (TTIs) are devices capable of recording the thermal history of a system. They have an enormous impact in the food and pharmaceutical industries. TTIs exploit several irreversible thermally activated transitions such as recrystallization, dewetting, smoothening, chemical decomposition, and polymorphic transitions, usually considered drawbacks for many technological applications. The aim of this article is to sensitize research groups working in organic synthesis and surface science toward TTI devices, enlarging the prospects of many new materials. We reviewed the principal applications highlighting the need and criticisms of TTIs, which offer a new opportunity for the development of many materials.

Stimuli responsive reversible high contrast off–on fluorescence switching of simple aryl-ether amine based aggregation-induced enhanced emission materials

Aryl-ether amine based simple Schiff base molecules showed rare stimuli responsive off–on fluorescence switching with high contrast.