A Topological Approach to Organic Superconductors and Ferromagnets

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This project by Andrzej Rajca at Kansas State University within the Organic Dynamics Program, is aimed at the development of organic compounds with superconducting and ferromagnetic properties. Very few examples are currently known, with such properties most often confined to inorganic solids. The use of organics with metallic-like properties will provide a wealth of possibilities due to ease of fabrication and subsequent modification of properties by standard methods of organic synthesis. Because the electronic structure and bonding of molecules and solids is affected by topology (and symmetry), a topological approach to organic superconductors and ferromagnets will be employed. Multi-carbanions, radicals, and radical anions of pi-conjugated hydrocarbons with highly degenerate highest occupied, non-bonding molecular orbitals will be prepared. The degeneracy and unique delocalization of these orbitals have a topological rather than symmetry origin. First, theoretical predictions about the impact of the special topology on the charge distribution, ground state multiplicities, and other molecular properties will be tested. Second, solids will be prepared; density of states at the Fermi level, band width, and other important solid state properties will be obtained and compared to their molecular counterparts. Finally, the solids will be examined with respect to ferromagnetism and superconductivity.