Electrical and magnetic properties of single crystal [NEt4]2[CuII(mnt)2]

We report electrical and magnetic studies of NEt₄]₂Cu^II(mnt)₂]. This crystal is composed of chains of theplanar Cu^II(mnt)₂]^?2 anions (space group $\text{P}\text{1}$ and z = 1) which exhibit only weak magnetic interactions. The material behaves as a semiconductor; from 300–400°K the conductivity increases by six orders of magnitude and the resistivity values above 300°K are comparable to those of some of the better known wide band-gap inorganic semiconductors. In contrast with the behavior of other linear chain systems, at room temperature the conductivity along the chain (σ_∥) is less than that perpendicular to the chain (σ_⊥). As the temperature is increase, the anisotropy ratio, σ_∥/σ_⊥, becomes greater than unity and increases to 1.6 × 10² at 400°K.