TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Device: The thermoelectric device is configured to be operable as a thermoelectric power generator; or the thermoelectric device is configured to develop a voltage difference between the first and second electrodes in response to a temperature difference between the first and second electrodes. The first electrode is in thermal contact with a heat source and the second electrode is in thermal contact with an ambient, such that the first electrode is at a higher temperature than the second electrode. Thermoelectric device is operable as a Peltier cooler, the Peltier cooler having a low-temperature side and a high-temperature side. Thermoelectric device is configured to transfer heat from the low-temperature side to the high-temperature side in response to an applied voltage between the first and second electrodes. Quantum conductor comprises an organic molecule bonded to the first and second electrodes. The organic molecule comprises meta-connected benzene rings. The electrical transmission medium comprises the organic molecules bonded to the first and second electrodes. Organic molecules are arranged in at least one self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The thermoelectric device further comprises a third electrode electrically connected to the electrical transmission medium. Electrical transmission medium comprises a first quantum conductor between the first and second electrodes and a second quantum conductor between the second and third electrodes. The first quantum conductor comprises an N-type organic molecule and the second quantum conductor comprises a P-type organic molecule. N-type organic molecule is bonded to the first and second electrodes and the P-type organic molecule is bonded to the second and third electrodes. Electrical transmission medium comprises N-type organic molecules bonded to the first and second electrodes and P-type organic molecules bonded to the second and third electrodes. N-type organic molecules and P-type organic molecules are arranged in SAMs. The organic molecules are of benzene compounds of formula 1, where: (i) when the organic molecule is an N-type organic molecule, then at least one R group is independently 1-6C alkyl, -OR1, -N(R2)2, or -SR1; and (ii) when the organic molecule is a P-type organic molecule, then each at least one R group is independently halogen, cyano, nitro, trifluoromethyl, C(O)OR1, C(O)R1, C(O)N(R1)2, -S(O)2R1, or S(O)2N (R1)2. At least one R group, when present, is electrically similar to hydrogen. When n is 2 or greater, the sets of substituents on each phenyl group are electrically similar to one another, but the total mass of the substituents for at least one of the phenyl groups is not identical to the other phenyl groups. The thermoelectric device comprises benzene compound of formula 2.n=1-100;Z=a bond or -O-;m=independently 0 or 1;R=independently an electron-donating group, an electron-withdrawing group, or a group electrically similar to hydrogen; andL=independently a bond or a divalent linking group.The first and third electrodes are on a first side of the thermoelectric device and the second electrode is on a second side of the thermoelectric device. The second side is in thermal contact with a heat source and the first side is in thermal contact with an ambient, such that the first and third electrodes are at a lower temperature than the second electrode. The thermoelectric device is configured to operate in one of a first configuration in which the first and third electrodes are in thermal contact with a hot reservoir at the high-temperature side and the second electrode is in thermal contact with a cooled reservoir at the low-temperature side, and a second configuration in which the first and third electrodes are in thermal contact with a cooled reservoir at the low-temperature side and the second electrode is in thermal contact with a hot reservoir at the high-temperature side. Preferred Generator: In thermoelectric power generator, the N-type organic molecules individually comprise electron donor substituents on a backbone of meta-connected benzene rings and the P-type organic molecules individually comprise electron acceptor substituents on a backbone of meta-connected benzene rings. Preferred Assembly: In the assembly, each metal surface is a gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, aluminum, or titanium surface. Each metal surface is a gold, silver, or copper surface and each RE is -SH. Each metal surface is a gold, silver, platinum, or copper surface and each RE is a bond. Each RE is independently a bond, -SH, -COOH, -P(O)(OH)2, or -ON, where a is 1, 2, or 3. Preferred Definitions:    RE=independently halogen, -SH, -COOH, -P(O)(OH)2, -SiX3, -SiCOR13, -C-triple bond-N, or -N-triple bond-N+(Y-), where X is halogen; and Y is a halide, perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, or hexafluorophosphate;    L=independently of the formula, -(0-10C alkyl-J)0-2-, where each J is independently a bond, aryl, heteroaryl, 3-8C cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl; and no more than one methylene in each alkyl group is optionally and independently replaced by -O-, -S-, -N(R0)-, -C(H)=C(H)-, -C-triple bond-C-, -C(O)-, -S(O)-, -S(O)2-, -P(O)(OH)-, -OP(O)(OH)-, -P(O)(OH)O-, -N(R0)P(O)(OH)-, -P(O)(OH)N(R0)-, -OP(O)(OH)O-, -OP(O)(OH)N(R0)-, -N(R0)P(O)(OH)O-, -N(R0)P(O)(OH)N(R0)-, -C(O)O-, -C(O)N(R0)-, -OC(O)-, -N(R0)C(O)-, -S(O)O-, -OS(O)-, -S(O)N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)-, -S(O)2O-, -OS(O)2-, -S(O)2N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)2-, OC(O)O-, -OC(O)N(R0)-, -N(R0)C(O)O-, -N(R0)C(O)N(R0)-, -OS(O)O-, -OS(O)N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)O-, -N(R0)S(O)N(R0)-, -OS(O)2O-, -OS(O)2N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)2O-, or -N(R0)S(O)2N(R0)-, where R0 is independently hydrogen or 1-6C alkyl; or independently -0-10C-alkyl-J-0-10C alkyl-J-, where each J is independently a bond, aryl, heteroaryl, 3-8C cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl; and no more than one methylene in each alkyl group is optionally and independently replaced by -O-, -S-, -N(R0)-, -C(H)=C(H)-, -C-triple bond-C-, -C(O)-, -S(O)2-, -C(O)O-, -C(O)N(R0)-, -OC(O)-, -N(R0)C(O)-, -S(O)2N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)2-, OC(O)O-, -OC(O)N(R0)-, -N(R0)C(O)O-, -N(R0)C(O)N(R0)-, where each R0 is independently hydrogen or 1-6C alkyl; or independently -0-10C-alkyl-J-0-10C-alkyl-J-, where each J is independently a bond or aryl and no more than one methylene in each alkyl group is optionally and independently replaced by -O-, -S-, -N(R0)-, -C(H)=C(H)-, -C-triple bond-C-, -C(O)-, -S(O)2-, -C(O)O-, -C(O)N(R0)-, -OC(O)-, -N(R0)C(O)-, -S(O)2N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)2-, OC(O)O-, -OC(O)N(R0)-, -N(R0)C(O)O-, -N(R0)C(O)N(R0)-, where each R0 is independently hydrogen or 1-6C alkyl; or independently of benzene derivative of formula 3 or 4;    L2=independently a bond, -CH2-, -O-, -S-, -N(R0)-, -C(H)=C(H)-, -C-triple bond-C-, -C(O)-, -S(O)2-, -C(O)O-, -C(O)N(R0)-, -OC(O)-, -N(R0)C(O)-, -S(O)2N(R0)-, -N(R0)S(O)2-, OC(O)O-, -OC(O)N(R0)-, -N(R0)C(O)O-, or -N(R0)C(O)N(R0)-;    R=1-6C alkyl, and the remaining R groups are each independently halogen, cyano, nitro, 1-6C alkyl, 1-6C haloalkyl, -OR1, -N(R1)2, -SR1, OC(O)R1, -OC(O)OR1, -OC (O)N(R1)2, -N(R1)O(O)R1, -N(R1)C(O)OR1, -N(R1)C(O)N(R1)2, 3-8C cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, or heteroaryl; and    R1=independently hydrogen, 1-6C alkyl, or 1-6C haloalkyl.    EXAMPLE - No example given.