Metal-insulator transition of alloyed radical cation salts, (MexEDO-TTF)2PF6

Ternary radical cation salts containing ethylenedioxytetrathiafulvalene, its mono-methyl substituted derivative, and hexafluorophosphate, [(EDO-TTF)1-x(MeEDO-TTF)x]2PF6 (x=mole fraction of MeEDO-TTF, x=0.01-0.13) were prepared by electrooxidation. Mole fractions of EDO-TTF and MeEDO-TTF in EDO-TTF rich alloys were consistent with the donor mixing ratios in preparation. Crystal structures of these alloys at room temperature were isostructural to that of (EDO-TTF)2PF6, where the donor molecules formed a nearly uniform stacking column to give a quasi-one-dimensional Fermi surface. The alloys exhibited a metal-insulator transition with tetramerization within the donor stack and anion-ordering. Temperature-variable structural analysis and Raman spectra revealed that the charge-ordering took place in the low temperature phase of x=0.05 alloy, however, this feature vanished in the x=0.13 alloy. The phase transition temperature decreased with increasing x value from 279 K of pristine (EDO-TTF)2PF6 to 188 K of x=0.13 alloy.