Inorganic semiconducting oxides, conductance

As already outlined, partial oxidation or reduction at suitable potentials converts the semiconducting neutral polymer to much more conductive catioific or anionic forms, respectively (see Fig. 2.4). As already outlined, according to a physically improper analogy with inorganic semiconductors, oxidation is said to lead to the p-doped polymer, while reduction to the n-doped form. 

With almost all of the conceivable coordination chemistry of the expanded porphyrins still left to be explored, it cannot be over-stres that the potential for new chemistry is enormous. This is i rticularly true when account is made of the fact that the chemistry of the metalloporphyrins has played a dominant role in modern inorganic chemistry. What with the possibility to enhance the stability of imusual coordination geometries (and, perhaps oxidations states) and the ability to form stable coordination complexes with a variety of unusual cations including those of the lanthanide and actinide series, the potential for new inorganic and organometallic discoveries are almost unlimited. For instance, as with the porphyrins, one may envision linear arrays of stacked expanded porphyrin macrocycles which may have unique conducting properties and/or which could display beneficial super- or semiconducting capabilities. Here, of course, the ability to coordinate not only to cations but also to anions could prove to be of tremendous utility. 

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