Hydrogen bonded NHO chains formed by chloranilic acid (CLA) with 4,4′-di-t-butyl-2,2′-bipyridyl (dtBBP) in the solid state

In crystalline state 2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-p-benzoquinone (chloranilic acid, CLA) forms with 4,4'-dit- butyl-2,20-bipyridyl (dtBBP) the hydrogen bonded chains along the b-axis. From one side of the CLA molecule the proton transfer takes place and the hydrogen bond length is very short (2.615 angstrom). A continuous infrared absorption is observed for dtBBP.CLA in the wavenumber range between 3100 and 800 cm(-1) also indicating the strong hydrogen bonds. The DSC measurements show a weak, close to continuous, phase transition at 414 K. The complex dielectric permittivity for a single crystal sample was measured in the temperature range 100-440 K and at frequencies between 200 Hz and 2 MHz. The dielectric response is a combination of semiconducting properties and a relaxation process most probably connected with the proton dynamics in the hydrogen bonds. The mechanism of the structural phase transition is discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.