Nanocrystals of a Metal–Organic Complex Exhibit Remarkably High Conductivity that Increases in a Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Transformation

Ag­(I)
is used to form a π-stacked metal–organic solid
that exhibits remarkably high electrical conductivity. The solid undergoes
a single-crystal-to-single-crystal [2+2] photodimerization to generate
a 1D coordination polymer with over 40% higher conductivity. The Ag­(I)
complex represents the first example of an increase in conductivity
resulting from a [2+2] photodimerization. Density of states calculations
show a higher contribution from Ag­(I) ions to the valence band in
the photodimerized solid, supporting the increase in conductivity.