Porous Molecular Conductor: Electrochemical Fabrication of Through-Space Conduction Pathways among Linear Coordination Polymers

Abstract

The first porous molecular conductor (PMC), which exhibits porosity, a through-space conduction pathway and rich charge carriers (electrons), was prepared through electrocrystallization from Cd²⁺ and N, N'-di(4-pyridyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxdiimide (NDI-py). [Cd(NDI-py)(OH₂)₄](NO₃)_1.3±0.1· nDMA (PMC-1) was assembled by π-π stacking among one-dimensional (1D) linear coordination polymers. The NDI cores were partially reduced into radical anions to form conductive π-stacked columns, yielding (1.0-3.3) × 10^-3 S cm^-1 at room temperature. Moreover, the electrical conductivity was significantly enhanced by removing the solvent molecules from PMC-1, indicating that PMCs are promising as molecule-responsive conductive materials.