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Single crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetic and 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopic studies of a new iron(II)-based spin transition complex – [Fe(3-bpp)2](CF3COO)2 (bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine) are reported. The complex exhibits an incomplete thermal high spin (HS) low spin (LS) transition at ∼226 K which is not associated with any crystallographic transition. Only one of the two crystallographic iron(II) sites undergoes the spin transition, while the other HS site remains invariant of temperature down to 10 K. The origin of the incomplete spin transition is understood by analysing the nature of crystal packing below and above the transition temperature with special attention to the degree of distortion. The present study shows the role of the degree of distortion associated with the cations in the [Fe(3-bpp)2]2+ spin transition complexes.

Crystallisation from chiral electrolyte (R)-(−)-carvone has produced three new chiral semiconducting salts of BEDT-TTF from racemic anion tris(oxalato)chromate(III).

The new chiral TTF-based donor molecule bis(2-hydroxypropylthio)ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene has produced enantiopure R,R and S,S radical cation salts with the tetrafluoroborate anion as well as the nearly isostructural meso/racemate mixture. The enantiopure R,R or S,S salts are both 1:1 semiconducting salts with activation energies of 0.19–0.24 eV, both crystallising in the orthorhombic space group C2221. The semiconducting salt containing both meso and racemic donor cations has a very similar crystal structure but crystallising in the monoclinic space group C2/c (β = 91.39°) with similar S⋯S interactions but a smaller activation energy of 0.15–0.17 eV. This is in contrast to previous families of this type where the disordered racemate has a larger activation energy than its enantiopure salts.

The first chiral BEDT-TTF-tris(oxalato)metallate(III) salt has been crystallised from a solution containing the racemic anion in the chiral solvent (R)-(−)-carvone.

We have prepared a novel organic molecule, 2-sulfo-3,5,6-trichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (1), that has both an electron acceptor part (chloranil) and an anionic part (sulfonate). The reduction potential of the PPh4 salt is −0.34 V (vs.SCE in PhCN) which indicates it is a weaker acceptor than chloranil (−0.18 V). The anionic acceptor provided one TTF (tetrathiafulvalene) and two BEDT-TTF (bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene) salts, the structures and physical properties of which are reported.

Metallic charge-transfer salts of BEDT-TTF containing both racemic (R/S)- and chiral (S)-sec-phenethyl alcohol as guest molecules have been crystallised and their structures and physical properties are compared.