Supramolecular aggregation of a redox-active copper-naphthalenediimide network with intrinsic electron conduction.

A sextuple ordered interpenetrated copper-naphthalenediimide network has been constructed by combining the features of porous metal-organic frameworks and π-conjugated supramolecular aggregation. The material exhibits intrinsic semiconductive features with narrow bandgap energy (1.2 eV) and outstanding electron transport. Theoretical calculations combined with experiments indicate that the high electron conduction may originate from π-d coupling and J-aggregation.