Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.58, No.9, 6495-6506, 2019
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 pi-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 center dot center dot center dot N' and S center dot center dot center dot O' secondary bonding interactions. The steric and electronic effects of the exocyclic ligands varies, affording one-dimensional (1D) pi-stacked radicals for R = OAc, 1D cofacial dimer pi-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 (sigma(RT )approximate to 1 x 10(-4) and similar to 1 x 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 sigma(RT )approximate to 1 X 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.