Cell-quintupling: Structural phase transition in a molecular crystal, bis(trans-4-butylcyclohexyl)methanol

A structural phase transition at 151.6 K of the title compound [bis(trans-4-butylcyclohexyl)methanol] is examined by X-ray diffraction crystallography, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and adiabatic calorimetry. A general consideration on possible superstructures indicates that a single modulation wave is sufficient to drive this cell-quintupling transition. The entropy of transition determined calorimetrically indicates that two conformations are dominant in the room-temperature phase in contrast to the fivefold disorder expected from the structure of the low-temperature phase.

Solid-state electrochemistry of a semiconducting MMX-type diplatinum iodide chain complex

Electron-transfer-facilitated dissolution, ion insertion, and desorption associated with an MMX-type quasi-one-dimensional iodide-bridged dinuclear Pt complex (MMX chain) have been investigated for the first time. K2(NC3N)[Pt2(pop)4I]·4H2O (1) (NC3N(2+) = (H3NC3H6NH3)(2+); pop = P2H2O5(2-)) is a semiconductor with a three-dimensional coordination-bond and hydrogen-bond network included in the chain. The cyclic voltammetry of 1 was studied by using 1-modified electrodes in contact with acetonitrile solutions containing electrolyte. The chemical reversibility for oxidation of 1 depended on the electrolyte cation size, with large cations such as tetrabutylammonium (Bu4N(+)) being too large to penetrate the pores formed by the loss of K(+) and NC3N(2+) upon oxidation. The potential for reduction of 1 decreased as the cation size increased. The presence of the acid induced additional well-defined processes but with gradual solid dissolution, attributed to the breaking of the coordination-bond networks.

On the nature of the multiple ground states of the MMX mixed-valence chain compound, [Pt(II/III)2(n-PenCS2)4I]∞

We present a comprehensive study of the temperature dependence of the crystal structure using single-crystal X-ray diffraction and diffuse scattering, and electrical transport and magnetic properties as well as some optical properties at room temperature to elucidate the origin and the form of multiple ground states demonstrated in a previous study of the heat-capacity of the MMX chain compound, [Pt(II/III)(2)(n-PenCS(2))(4)I](∞). The present results confirm the presence of the two phase transitions, one reversible of first order at 207 K and the other nonreversible monotropic at 324 K, separating the low temperature (LT), room temperature (RT), and high temperature (HT) phases. The unit cell displays a 3-fold periodicity of -Pt-Pt-I- in the RT and HT phases because of the structural disorder which is exhibited by the dithiocarboxylato groups and the n-pentyl groups belonging to the central diplatinum unit. In addition, for the HT-phase all the dimers show this disorder. This compound undergoes a metal-semiconductor transition at T(M-S) = 235 K. The presence of diffuse streaks corresponding to 2-fold -Pt-Pt-I- periodicity in the HT and RT phases indicates dynamic valence ordering of the type -Pt(2+)-Pt(2+)-I(-)-Pt(3+)-Pt(3+)-I(-)-or-Pt(2+)-Pt(3+)-I(-)-Pt(3+)-Pt(2+)-I(-)-. For the LT-phase the diffuse scattering is condensed into clear Bragg diffraction peaks while keeping the 3-fold periodicity. This fact suggests further localization through dimerization of charges and spins confirming the diamagnetic state in the magnetic susceptibility and the low electrical conduction below 207 K. The present results are further discussed in relation to those of previous studies on the homologues, [Pt(II/III)(2)(RCS(2))(4)I](∞), R = methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl.