PRECURSOR COMPOUNDS FOR ORGANIC METALS AND NONLINEAR OPTICAL-DEVICES FROM CARBOHYDRATE-DERIVED HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURALDEHYDE - FURANOID ELECTRON-DONORS AND PUSH-PULL SUBSTITUTED COMPOUNDS

Communication: Non-food applications of industrially accessible low-molecular-weight carbohydrates are examined. Available from, for example, sucrose, starch, or cellulose, the carbohydrates are shown to form the basis of conducting charge-transfer salts or materials with nonlinear optical properties. The compound shown in the figure, for example, which is based on a furan unit obtainable from glucose, is shown to form a stable charge-transfer salt with TCNQ exhibiting a powder conductivity of 10(-2) S/cm at room temperature.