The ultimate goal of this project is to find a new class of organic superconductors under the guidance of Dr. Qian Qin. To achieve this, an electron-rich donor is synthesized and reacted with an acceptor molecule to form a charge transfer complex. The donor’s heteroatom-rich nature allows for extensive π orbitals overlap. This mobilizes the charge within the molecule giving rise to conductivity. As undergraduate students, the goal is to assist Dr. Qin in the synthesis of the organic, electron-rich donors as well as make the charge transfer complexes with an off-the-shelf acceptor. Based on preceding guidelines, 1,2,9,10-tetrahydronaphtho[2,1-b:7,8-b']dithiophene was synthesized and then reacted with TCNQ to form a charge transfer complex. The structure of the black crystals formed is then examined by X-ray to observe the overlap of the π orbitals between the heteroatoms in adjacent donor molecules. This X-ray data will then be sent to Dr. Qian Qin’s collaborator in Princeton to obtain the organic donor’s superconductivity capabilities.

Synthesis of heteroatom-rich aromatic donors and charge transfer complexes for superconductivity

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