SYNTHESIS AND STRUCTURE OF THE NEUTRAL PI-DONOR ME(3)TTF-COOH AND OF ITS DECARBOXYLATED CATION-RADICAL SALT [ME(3)TTF(CENTER-DOT-]()][RE6SE5CL9)

Lithiation of Me(3)TTF and subsequent reaction with CO2 afforded the c arboxylic acid Me(3)TTF-COOH. The structure of the neutral pi-donor wa s determined by X-ray diffraction, revealing the common hydrogen-bonde d dimers pattern. Single crystals of the cation radical salt with the anion Re6Se5Cl9- were obtained by electrocrystallization. The electrod ecarboxylation or Kolbe reaction of the carboxylic acid, to form unsub stituted trimethyltetrathiafulvalene, is demonstrated by an analysis o f the crystal structure of this cation radical salt.