Controlling Ionic Conductivity in Organometallic Ionic Liquids through Light-Induced Coordination Polymer Formation...

Owing to their high ionic conductivity and negligible vapor pressure, ionic liquids (ILs) find applications in various electronic devices. However, fabricating IL-based photocontrollable devices remains a challenge. In this study, we developed organometallic ILs with reversible light- and heat-controlled ionic conductivities for potential use in tunable devices. The physical properties and stimulus responses of ILs containing a cationic sandwich Ru complex with two coordinating substituents were investigated. UV photoirradiation of these ILs triggered cation photodissociation, resulting in their transformation into viscoelastic coordination polymers wherein the coordinating substituents bridged the Ru centers. Owing to the anion coordination, salts with coordinating anions such as CF₃SO₂NCN^-, B(CN)₄^-, and BF₂(CN)₂^- exhibited faster response and higher conversion than those with noncoordinating anions including (FSO₂)₂N^- and (CF₃SO₂)₂N^-. All photoproducts reverted to their original ILs upon heating, except for the photoproduct of the BF₂(CN)₂ salt, which decomposed upon heating. Light- and heat-induced reversible changes occur in most cases between the high-ionic-conductive IL state and low-ionic-conductive coordination polymer state. Unlike previously reported ILs with three or one cation substituent, the current ILs exhibited both high reactivity and large ionic conductivity changes.