PSEUDOTETRAHEDRAL METAL (II) COMPLEXES OF TRIS- (t-BUTYL) PHOSPHINE

Abstract

The synthesis of divalent metal complexes of the type [Bu^t ₃PH] [(Bu^t ₃P)MX₃] (M = Ni; X = Cl, Br, I; M = Co; X = Br; M = Zn; X = Cl) is reported. Characterization of the solids by conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, electronic and vibrational spectral measurements indicate that the structures are similar and unchanged in solution from the solid state. On the basis of an earlier X-ray single crystal analysis of [Bu^t ₃PH] [(Bu^t ₃P)NiBr₃] and a comparison of the physical measurements for the series of complexes, the inner coordination geometry of the anions can be represented as pseudotetrahedral with C_3v local symmetry. The unexpected formation of these ionic complexes is attributed to the bulkiness of tris-(t-butyl) phosphine. The isolation and probable geometry of the anion are also discussed for an orange-brown [Bu^t ₃PH] [Ni(NCS)₃] complex.