Syntheses and characterization of a new nano-structured bismuth(III) bromide coordination polymer; new precursor for preparation of bismuth(III) bromide and bismuth(III) oxide nanostructures

Nanoparticles of a Bi(III) coordination polymer, {Bi(μ-4,4′-bipy)Br₄] · (4,4′-Hbipy)} _n (1) (4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine), were synthesized by a sonochemical method. The new nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), IR spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. Compound 1 was structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The thermal stabilities of 1 as bulk and at nanosize were studied by thermal gravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA). The Bi₂O₃ and BiBr₃ nanostructures were obtained by calcinations of nanostructure of 1 in air and argon.