Lowering Band Gap of an Electroactive Metal-Organic Framework via Complementary Guest Intercalation.

A new honeycomb-shaped electroactive metal-organic framework (MOF) has been constructed from an electron deficient naphthalenediimide (NDI) ligand equipped with two terminal salicylic acid groups. π-Intercalation of electron rich planar tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) guests between the NDI ligands stacked along the walls lowers the electronic band gap of the material by ca. 1 eV. An improved electron delocalization through the guest-mediated π-donor/acceptor stacks is attributed to the diminished band-gap of the doped material.