Ferroelectric Copper Quinine Complexes

Abstract

The reactions of quinine with Cu(I)Cl and Cu(I)Br afford Cu5Cl9(H2Quinine)2 (1) and Cu3Br7(H2Quinine)2(H2O) (2), respectively, with 1D polymeric structures. The anionic chain in 1 contains Cu4Cl62- adamantane-type aggregates that are linked to two identical units by CuCl32- bridges, and the Cu(I) centers in 2 have a distorted tetrahedral environment formed by bridging and terminal bromide ions. 1 is the first homochiral metal-organic coordination polymer exhibiting ferroelectric behavior.