Structures and conductivities of isostructural synthetic metals (DOET)4[Hg2Cl6] and (DOET)4[Hg2Br6]

The structures of organic metals (DOET)4[Hg2Cl6] (1) and (DOET)4[Hg2Br6] (2), where DOET is (1,4-dioxanediyl-2,3-dithio)ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene, were established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural, and their crystals have layered structures. The conducting layers formed by the stacked DOET1/2+ cations alternate with the layers of the [Hg2X6]2– anions (X = Cl, Br). The temperature dependence of the conductivity of salt 1 shows a metallic character in the range of 300—4 K. Compound 2 undergoes the metal—semiconductor phase transition (TM—I) at 100 K.