Issue 26, 2024

Crystal clear: unveiling giant birefringence in organic–inorganic cocrystals

Abstract

Coplanar groups with large anisotropic polarizability are suitable as birefringence-active groups for investigating compounds with significant birefringence. In this study, the organic coplanar raw reagent, o-C5H5NO (4HP), was selected as an individual complement. Utilizing the cocrystal engineering strategy, we successfully designed two cocrystals: [LiNO3·H24HP4HP (Li-4HP2) and [Mg(NO3)2·6H2O]·(4HP)2 (Mg-4HP), and one by-product: LiNO3·H24HP (Li-4HP), which were grown using a mild aqua-solution method. The synergy of the coplanar groups of NO3 and 4HP in the structures resulted in unexpectedly large birefringence values of 0.376–0.522@546 nm. Furthermore, the compounds exhibit large bandgaps (4.08–4.51 eV), short UV cutoff edges (275–278 nm), and favorable growth habits, suggesting their potential as short-wave UV birefringent materials.

Graphical abstract: Crystal clear: unveiling giant birefringence in organic–inorganic cocrystals

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
18 Apr 2024
Accepted
25 May 2024
First published
27 May 2024
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 10193-10199

Crystal clear: unveiling giant birefringence in organic–inorganic cocrystals

Y. Li and K. M. Ok, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 10193 DOI: 10.1039/D4SC02569E

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