Intercalation of organic compounds in the layered host lattice MoO3

Organic compounds such as alkylpyridines, methyl viologen and azo compounds have been intercalated into MoO3layers by ion exchange in which MoO3x–(Na+)x reacted with the organic compounds. Indolinespirobenzopyran (SP) was intercalated by a multi-step method in which amine was intercalated in the first step, and by the co-intercalation of amine and SP the MoO3 layer expanded to 24–28 Å depending upon the kind of amine used in the first step. In the layers, SP existed as its isomerized coloured species, merocyanine (MC). Reduction of Mo by chemical reduction and intercalation of amines and SP was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.