Chemical stability and electroconductivity of 7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane salts containing polycation polymers

Abstract

Abstract The chemical and electrical stabilities of 7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) salts composed of neutral TCNQ (TCNQ ˆ ), anion radicals of TCNQ(TCNQ − ·), and polycation polymers were studied by measuring their electronic spectra and resistivities (ρ). The results of spectral and chemical analyses confirmed that TCNQ − · in TCNQ salts was decomposed to α,α‐dicyano‐ p ‐toluoylcyanide (DTC − ) as the final product by the intermediate formation of TCNQ ˆ and p ‐phenylenediamalononitrile (H 2 TCNQ) and that H 2 O played an important part in the reaction. From these results it was concluded that TCNQ salts are decomposed by two reaction processes: The resistivity of TCNQ salts increases with the decomposition of TCNQ − ·. Studies on electroconductivity of TCNQ salts assume that the change in resistivity arises from the loss of unpaired electrons which become conduction carriers and also from the disintegration of the TCNQ ˆ and TCNQ − · complex which forms the conduction path.