Abstract
This month's cover picture results from Professor Bin Zhang's collaborative work between Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University (China). Since the discovery of high‐temperature superconductors for hole doping on parent antiferromagnetic compound La2CuO4, the antiferromagnetic molecular crystal with a (4,4) grid copper‐formate framework Cu(HCOO)2(H2O)4 and its deuterated compound (Cu(DCOO)2(D2O)4) have been studied extensively for supposed dual‐functional molecular crystals. The cover picture shows the ideal situation by replacing intercalated H2O with an organic donor. The organic–inorganic hybrid (BEDT‐TTF)2Cu2(HCOO)5 is obtained through the electrochemical oxidation of neutral BEDT‐TTF in the presence of an ammonium salt of the 1D copper‐formate framework [(C2H5)3NH]2Cu2(HCOO)5 in a C6H5Cl‐C2H5OH solution. For more details, read the full text of the Communication at 10.1002/open.201700041.
What is the main aim of your research?
The main task of our research effort is obtain an organic–inorganic hybrid charge‐transfer salts with antiferromagnetic (4,4) grids. This proves the possibility to find new molecular superconductors from charge‐transfer salts with (4,4) grid antiferromagnetic anions.
What are the main challenges in the broad area of your research?
There are two types of constraints that we are confronted with. The first is to look for inorganic, antiferromagnetic anions that could be efficiently used both as electrolytes for electrocrystallization and potential (4,4) gird counter ions in resultant charge‐transfer salts. The second is to obtain high‐quality single crystals. Full characterization by using energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, crystal structural determination, conductivity measurements, magnetic measurements, IR spectroscopy, and Raman experiments were carried out on high‐quality single crystals. Consequently, we could ensure that all of the information reported here shows the intrinsic behavior of the sample. We hope that our work will be helpful for further work on looking for new molecular superconductors with antiferromagnetic (4,4) grid anions.
Is your current research mainly driven by curiosity or rather applied?
Curiosity is the most powerful driving force in the development of mankind. Naturally, it is also the main motor in scientific progress. However, our institute is financed by public tax funds. Consequently, we always try to apply emerging developments in fundamental research into practically relevant applications.
What aspects of this project do you find most exciting?
Jahn–Teller distorted Cu2+ connected by formate forms a new antiferromagnetic (4,4) grid anion. The coordination mode of formate is different from Cu(DCOO)2(D2O)4. This means that formate can be adjusted into a suitable coordination mode to fit the cation's existence, whereas the connection mode of Cu2+ remains in a (4,4) grid.
B. Zhang, Y. Zhang, Z. Wang, Z. Gao, D. Yang, D. Wang, Y. Guo, D. Zhu, ChemistryOpen 2017, 6, 298.