2,4,6-Trimethylpyridinium perchlorate: Polar properties and correlations with molecular structure of organic–inorganic hybrid crystal

(CH₃)₃C₅H₂NH]ClO₄] has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray (at 344, 245, 180 and 115 K), calorimetric, dilatometric, dielectric and pyroelectric measurements. At room temperature the crystal structure is polar, space group Pmn2₁. It consists of discrete disordered ClO₄]^- anions and ordered trimethylpyridinium cations giving the 3D network of hydrogen bonds. The compound reveals a rich polymorphism in the solid state. It undergoes four solid–solid phase transitions: from phases I to II at 356/327 K (heating/cooling), II→III at 346/326, III→IV at 226 K and IV→V at 182/170 K. (CH₃)₃C₅H₂NH]ClO₄] reveals a strong pyroelectric response over a wide temperature region (phases III, IV and V) with the spontaneous polarization changes (ΔP_s) of the order of . The spontaneous polarization is irreversible over all the polar phases, however, the magnitude of the ΔP_s in the vicinity of the phase transitions is characteristic of compounds with the ferroelectric order. The molecular mechanism of the successive phases transitions in the studied crystal is proposed.