Molecular Materials Synthesis Laboratory

The activity in this laboratory is focused on the synthesis of molecular species to be used in the preparation of new molecule-based materials, with unconventional electrical and/or magnetic properties. General procedures in organic and inorganic chemistry are currently used in the laboratory and a very special attention is given to low and room temperature crystallization techniques, as single crystals are often required to subsequent characterization techniques (X-ray diffraction, electrical or thermal transport, magnetic studies).

The synthesis facilities of this laboratory include a microwave assisted reactor. The manipulation of air sensitive compounds is usual and this laboratory is equipped with two vacuum lines and a glovebox. The glovebox is equipped with a freezer, which is useful to store thermal air sensitive compounds and in some cases to do crystallizations. The glovebox is also equipped with a microscope in order to allow the analysis of small crystals and mounting them for single-crystal experiments (X-ray diffraction, etc.). Redox properties are often an important aspect of the new compounds, and cyclic voltammetry is a characterization technique currently used in the new molecular species prepared in this laboratory.

Main equipment:
• Vacuum lines (with N2)
• Glovebox
• Microwave assisted reactor
• Potenciostat
• Current sources for electrocrystallization (30)
• Rotary Evaporators (2); Vacuum-ovens (2); Melting point apparatus; Gradient sublimer; etc.

Responsible Researcher:

Dulce Belo