Vapor synthesis of alkali metal-TCNQ salt films

Alkali metal salts of the radical anion of the organic acceptor 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethan (TCNQ) have been synthesized from neutral TCNQ and the elemental alkali metals by means of a vapor reaction technique. Using this method thin, polycrystalline films of the simple (1) salts of Li, Na, K, and Rb were prepared as well as films of the complex (2) salt of Cs. X-Ray powder diffraction data for these materials are presented and compared with data obtained both from materials synthesized by conventional solution reactions and from known crystal structure data. The ultraviolet photoemission spectrum of NaTCNQ was found to correlate very well with that previously reported for KTCNQ. © 1974.