Magnetic properties of metallic La2CuO4

X-ray, magnetic susceptibility, and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements have been made on La₂CuO₄. Magnetic measurements in the range 4.2 – 300 K are consistent with the metallic nature of La₂CuO₄, and the itinerant - electron susceptibility is estimated to be 239 × 10^?6 emu mol^?1. The high susceptibility and density of states indicate that the conduction band is narrow. The results are discussed in terms of previous models of the level structure of La₂CuO₄, and it is concluded that conduction occurs via a $\text{σ1}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>x</mtext>}}\text{2}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>?</mtext><mtext>y</mtext>}}\text{2}$ band. Comparison of La₂CuO₄ with semiconducting lanthanide cuprates suggests that this compound is on the verge of a semiconductor-to-metal transition.