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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Atomic Scale Structural Studies of Macromolecular Assemblies by Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Published on: September 17, 2017
From Intramolecular (Circular) in an Isolated Molecule to Intermolecular Hole Delocalization in a Two-Dimensional
Maxim V Ivanov1, Denan Wang1, Tushar S Navale1
1Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53201-1881, USA.
Abstract:
To achieve long-range charge transport/separation and, in turn, bolster the efficiency of modern photovoltaic devices, new molecular scaffolds are needed that can self-assemble in two-dimensional (2D) arrays while maintaining both intra- and intermolecular electronic coupling. In an isolated molecule of pillarene, a single hole delocalizes intramolecularly via hopping amongst the circularly arrayed hydroquinone ether rings. The crystallization of pillarene cation radical produces a 2D self-assembly with three intermolecular dimeric (sandwich-like) contacts. Surprisingly, each pillarene in the crystal lattice bears a fractional formal charge of +1.5. This unusual stoichiometry of oxidized pillarene in crystals arises from effective charge distribution within the 2D array via an interplay of intra- and intermolecular electronic couplings. This important finding is expected to help advance the rational design of efficient solid-state materials for long-range charge transfer.
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