Synthesis, Crystal, and Electronic Structure of (HpipeH₂)₂[Sb₂I₁₀](I₂), with I₂ Molecules Linking Sb₂X₁₀ Dimers into a Polymeric Anion: A Strategy for Optimizing a Hybrid Compound’s Band Gap

In searching for a tool for optimizing the band gap of a hybrid compound capable of serving as a light-harvesting material in lead-free photovoltaics, we synthesized a new polyiodoantimonate (HpipeH2)2[Sb2I10](I2) and analyzed its crystal and electronic structure by application of X-ray crystal structure analysis, Raman and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, and quantum chemical calculations. It was demonstrated that I2 molecules link Sb2I10 edge-sharing octahedra into zig-zag chains, whereas the organic cations link inorganic anionic chains into a 3D structure featuring a complex pattern of covalent bonds and non-covalent interactions. Overall, these features provide the background for forming the electronic structure with a narrow band gap of 1.41 eV, therefore being a versatile tool for optimizing the band gap of a potential light-harvesting hybrid compound

Assembling Polyiodides and Iodobismuthates Using a Template Effect of a Cyclic Diammonium Cation and Formation of a Low-Gap Hybrid Iodobismuthate with High Thermal Stability

Exploiting a template effect of 1,4-diazacycloheptane (also known as homopiperazine, Hpipe), four new hybrid iodides, (HpipeH2)2Bi2I10·2H2O, (HpipeH2)I(I3), (HpipeH2)3I6·H2O, and (HpipeH2)3(H3O)I7, were prepared and their crystal structures were solved using single crystal X-ray diffraction data. All four solid-state crystal structures feature the HpipeH22+ cation alternating with Bi2I104–, I3–, or I– anions and solvent water or H3O+ cation. HpipeH22+ assembles anionic and neutral building blocks into polymer structures by forming four strong (N)H···I and (N)H···O hydrogen bonds per cation, with the H···I distances ranging from 2.44 to 2.93 Å and H···O distances of 1.88–1.89 Å. These hydrogen bonds strongly affect the properties of compounds; in particular, in the case of (HpipeH2)2Bi2I10·2H2O, they ensure narrowing of the band gap down to 1.8 eV and provide high thermal stability up to 240 °C, remarkable for a hydrated molecular solid

Assembling Polyiodides and Iodobismuthates Using a Template Effect of a Cyclic Diammonium Cation and Formation of a Low-Gap Hybrid Iodobismuthate with High Thermal Stability

Exploiting a template effect of 1,4-diazacycloheptane (also known as homopiperazine, Hpipe), four new hybrid iodides, (HpipeH2)2Bi2I10·2H2O, (HpipeH2)I(I3), (HpipeH2)3I6·H2O, and (HpipeH2)3(H3O)I7, were prepared and their crystal structures were solved using single crystal X-ray diffraction data. All four solid-state crystal structures feature the HpipeH22+ cation alternating with Bi2I104–, I3–, or I– anions and solvent water or H3O+ cation. HpipeH22+ assembles anionic and neutral building blocks into polymer structures by forming four strong (N)H···I and (N)H···O hydrogen bonds per cation, with the H···I distances ranging from 2.44 to 2.93 Å and H···O distances of 1.88–1.89 Å. These hydrogen bonds strongly affect the properties of compounds; in particular, in the case of (HpipeH2)2Bi2I10·2H2O, they ensure narrowing of the band gap down to 1.8 eV and provide high thermal stability up to 240 °C, remarkable for a hydrated molecular soli

Molecular and Supramolecular Structure of a New Luminescent Hybrid Compound: (C5N2H14)2[BiBr6]Br·H2O

The reaction of homopiperazine, C5N2H12, with BiBr3 in strong hydrobromic acid affords a new organic-inorganic hybrid (C5N2H14)2[BiBr6]Br·H2O. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group, Pbca, with unit cell dimensions of a = 15.0775 (2), b = 15.7569 (2), and c = 20.7881 (4) Å, and eight formula units per unit cell. The crystal structure features slightly distorted octahedral BiBr63− and monoatomic Br− anions in the inorganic substructure and C5N2H142+ dications and adjacent water molecules in the organic substructure. Various weak interactions that include (N)H···Br, (N)H···O, and (O)H···Br hydrogen bonds ensure the assembling of the structural moieties into a 3D supramolecular structure. (C5N2H14)2[BiBr6]Br·H2O shows two emission bands in the photoluminescence spectrum, a rather narrow deep-blue PL at 432 nm, and a broadband red PL centered at 650 nm. Their nature and relations to the crystal structure are discussed in this paper

Molecular and Supramolecular Structure of a New Luminescent Hybrid Compound: (C₅N₂H₁₄)₂[BiBr₆]Br·H₂O

The reaction of homopiperazine, C5N2H12, with BiBr3 in strong hydrobromic acid affords a new organic-inorganic hybrid (C5N2H14)2[BiBr6]Br·H2O. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group, Pbca, with unit cell dimensions of a = 15.0775 (2), b = 15.7569 (2), and c = 20.7881 (4) Å, and eight formula units per unit cell. The crystal structure features slightly distorted octahedral BiBr63− and monoatomic Br− anions in the inorganic substructure and C5N2H142+ dications and adjacent water molecules in the organic substructure. Various weak interactions that include (N)H···Br, (N)H···O, and (O)H···Br hydrogen bonds ensure the assembling of the structural moieties into a 3D supramolecular structure. (C5N2H14)2[BiBr6]Br·H2O shows two emission bands in the photoluminescence spectrum, a rather narrow deep-blue PL at 432 nm, and a broadband red PL centered at 650 nm. Their nature and relations to the crystal structure are discussed in this paper

Molecular and Supramolecular Structures of Triiodides and Polyiodobismuthates of Phenylenediammonium and Its N,N-dimethyl Derivative

Despite remarkable progress in photoconversion efficiency, the toxicity of lead-based hybrid perovskites remains an important issue hindering their applications in consumer optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells, LED displays, and photodetectors. For that reason, lead-free metal halide complexes have attracted great attention as alternative optoelectronic materials. In this work, we demonstrate that reactions of two aromatic diamines with iodine in hydroiodic acid produced phenylenediammonium (PDA) and N,N-dimethyl-phenylenediammonium (DMPDA) triiodides, PDA(I3)2⋅2H2O and DMPDA(I3)I, respectively. If the source of bismuth was added, they were converted into previously reported PDA(BiI4)2⋅I2 and new (DMPDA)2(BiI6)(I3)⋅2H2O, having band gaps of 1.45 and 1.7 eV, respectively, which are in the optimal range for efficient solar light absorbers. All four compounds presented organic–inorganic hybrids, whose supramolecular structures were based on a variety of intermolecular forces, including (N)H⋅⋅⋅I and (N)H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds as well as I⋅⋅⋅I secondary and weak interactions. Details of their molecular and supramolecular structures are discussed based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, thermal analysis, and Raman and optical spectroscop

Role of I₂ Molecules and Weak Interactions in Supramolecular Assembling of Pseudo-Three-Dimensional Hybrid Bismuth Polyiodides: Synthesis, Structure, and Optical Properties of Phenylenediammonium Polyiodobismuthate(III)

Phenylenediammonium polyiodobismuthate­(III), [PDA­(BiI₄)₂·​I₂] (PDA = phenyl­ene­diam­monium, [NH₃­C₆H₄­NH₃]²⁺), represents a new hybrid halometallate synthesized in a form of black well-shaped crystals by a facile reaction in aqueous solution of HI containing dissolved I₂. It crystallizes in triclinic space group <i>P</i>1̅ with the unit cell parameters <i>a</i> = 7.761(1) Å, <i>b</i> = 9.259(1) Å, <i>c</i> = 9.689(1) Å, α = 95.68(3)°, β = 103.19(3)°, γ = 93.56(3)°, and <i>Z</i> = 1. Its crystal structure comprises three levels of organization discriminated by a type of chemical bonding. The first level is provided by covalently bonded [BiI₆] octahedra linked into [BiI₄]_∞^– one-dimensional anionic chains; the second level features secondary bonds between the chains and I₂ bridging molecules, whereas the third level is specified by the weak hydrogen N–H···I bonds involving a diammonium cation and I···I intermolecular interactions that additionally link anionic chains. Altogether, these three interaction types ensure the formation of a complex pseudo-three-dimensional crystal structure. According to optical absorption study, [PDA­(BiI₄)₂·​I₂] is a semiconductor with the band gap of 1.45 eV