Molecular ferroelectric thin films are highly desirable for their easy and environmentally friendly processing, light weight, and mechanical flexibility. A thin film of imidazolium perchlorate processed from aqueous solution is an excellent molecular ferroelectric with high spontaneous polarization, high Curie temperature, low coercivity, and superior electromechanical coupling. These attributes make it a molecular alternative to perovskite ferroelectric films in sensing, actuation, data storage, electro-optics, and molecular/flexible electronics.

Hydrothermal (deuteratothermal) reaction of L-ethyl lactate (Lig-Et) with Eu(ClO(4))(3)6 H(2)O gives colorless block crystals of [Eu(Lig)(2)(X(2)O)(2)][ClO(4)] (1, X=H; 2, X=D) both of which possess a two-dimensional laminar homochiral framework. Single-crystal dielectric measurements reveal that 1 and 2 display a giant dielectric anisotropy approximately exceeding 100 and large isotopic effect with about 54 % enhancement along the a axis. Their ferroelectric features further confirm this respect. Crystal parameters: 1, C(6)H(14)ClO(12)Eu, M(r)=465.58, monoclinic, C(2), a=8.6786(6), b=8.3965(6), c=10.2153(7) A, beta=92.040(1) degrees , V=743.92(9) A(3), Z=2, rho(calcd)=2.079 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0508, wR(2)=0.1239, mu=4.448 mm(-1), S=1.043; Flack=0.04(5). 2: C(6)H(10)D(4)ClO(12)Eu, M(r)=469.61, monoclinic, C(2), a=8.689(2), b=8.410(2), c=10.224(3) A, beta=92.057(4) degrees , V=746.7(3) A(3), Z=2, rho(calcd)=2.089 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0465, wR(2)=0.1150, mu=4.432 mm(-1), S=1.058; Flack=0.02(5).

Supramolecular crystals having one-dimensional (1d) columnar structures were constructed by using supramolecules based on tst-DCH[18]crown-6 (tst-DCH = trans-syn-trans-dicyclohexano). In the crystal of (Ani+)(tst-DCH[18]crown-6)[Ni(dmit)2]− (1) and (m-FAni+)(tst-DCH[18]crown-6)[Ni(dmit)2]− (2) (Ani+ = anilinium+, m-FAni+ = m-fluoroanilinium+, dmit2− = 2-thioxo-1,3-dithiole-4,5-dithiolate), the tst-DCH[18]crown-6 formed supramolecular cations with Ani+ and m-FAni+, respectively, through N–H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The planar conformation of tst-DCH[18]crown-6 molecules in the crystals provided bidirectional hydrogen bonding from the upper and lower side of the molecule that were the driving forces for the construction of the 1d supramolecular architecture. The results provided a method to control arrangements of crown ether-based supramolecules in 1d columns that could be used for channels and/or molecular nanomachines such as molecular rotators

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