A Semiconducting Copper(II) Coordination Polymer with (4,4) Square Grid Topology: Synthesis, Characterization, and Application in the Formation of a Photoswitch

A phenoxo and end-to-end thiocyanate bridged copper(II) coordination polymer (CP), [Cu2L2(mu-1,3-SCN)(2)](n), where HL is an potential tetradentate N2O2 donor Schiff base ligand, 2-(2-(ethylamino)ethylimino)methyl)-6-ethoxyphenol, has been synthesized and characterized. The band gap, bulk capacitance, electron lifetime, relaxation time, dielectric constant, and DC conductivity of the complex in the solid state have been studied. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurement indicates the presence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions among the copper(II) centers with J = -0.97 cm(1.) The complex shows increase in conductivity when illuminated with visible light (photosensitivity similar to 2.833).