Electrical conductivity of some organic materials containing metals

Abstract

In order to test views on the nature of electron-transfer in solids which contain metal complexes, four series of metal-chelates have been examined. In the first, isolated molecules ML, where M is a metal and L is a large organic chelating agent, have been made in which L is varied so as to force different geometries on M. In the second, ML is held in association with another molecule X which acts as an acceptor so that a series of molecules (ML)_n(X)_m are examined. In the third series, the ligand L is conjugated and polymerized, while in the fourth, the complex units ML are joined to one another through copolymerization with a separate insulating monomer. The electrical conductivity of this range of different materials has been studied in compressed pellets. Tentative conclusions are drawn as to the circumstances in which organic materials containing metals could be good conductors. The conclusions are used to discuss electron transfer in biological systems.