Thermal decomposition of the solvent extracted molybdenum (VI) complexes from hydrochloric acid solutions with trioctylamine and trioctylmethylammonium chloride

The complexes of molybdenum(VI) with trioctylamine (TOA, R₃N) and trioctyl methylammonium chloride (TOMAC, R₃R'NCl) were prepared by drying in vacuo the organic solutions for the extraction of molybdenum(VI) from hydrochloric acid solutions at low and higher acidities, respectively, by TOA and TOMAC in benzene. The resulting complexes were examined by thermal analysis (TG and DTA) in air and under the atmosphere of nitrogen, and their thermally decomposed products such as volatile matters and residues by gas chlomatography, X-ray diffraction study and infrared spectrophotometry. It was found that their complexes decompose thermally to MoO₃ by cracking of alkyl groups combined with molybdenum(VI) ion. Accordingly the thermal decomposition process of those complexes is discussed and the probable structure of the complexes is proposed on the basis of the results obtained.

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Zusammenfassung Komplexe von Molybdän(VI) mit Trioktylamin (TOA, R₃N) und Trioktylmethylammoniumchlorid (TOMAC, R₃R'NCl) wurden hergestellt, mittels TG und DTA in Luft und in Stickstoffatmosphäre untersucht. Die thermischen Zersetzungsprodukte der Komplexe (flüchtige Substanzen und Rückstände) wurden mittels Gaschromatographie, Röntgendiffraktion und IR-Spektroskopie untersucht. Es wurde gezeigt, daß die Komplexe thermisch zu MoO₃ zerfallen, indem die an das Molybdän(VI)-Ion gebundenen Alkylgruppen abgekrackt werden. Die Ergebnisse der thermischen Zersetzungsprozesse wird diskutiert und auf der Basis der erhaltenen Ergebnisse die wahrscheinliche Struktur der Komplexe dargelegt.

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Dedicated to Professor Dr. H. J. Seifert on the occasion of his 60^th birthday

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The author wishes to thank Dr. H. Watanabe and Mr. T. Takahashi for assistance with experimental work, and also the Koei Chemical Co., Ltd. for samples of TOA and TOMAC.