Thermoanalytical investigations of niobium(V) chloride aryloxides

Niobium(V) chloride aryloxides NbCl₃(OAr)₂] and NbCl₂(OAr)₃] (Oar = —OC₆H₄Bu ^t -4 and —OC₆H₄OMe-4) have been prepared by reacting NbCl₅ with two and three equivalents of the respective phenol in CCl₄. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, molecular weight determination, i.r., ¹H-n.m.r., u.v.–vis. and MS techniques. Thermal behaviour (t.g.–d.t.) of the complexes has also been studied and decomposition schemes proposed. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters namely, the activation energy 'E ^*', the frequency factor 'A', entropy of activation 'S' and specific rate constant 'kr' etc. have been calculated employing the Coats–Redfern equation. The non-isothermal t.g. data has also been utilized to determine the most probable mechanism and corresponding activation energy for the decomposition of niobium(V) complexes by testing seven different theoretically possible decomposition mechanisms.