Thermal behaviour of [Mg(DMSO)6](NO3)2

Polymorphism and thermal decomposition of [Mg(DMSO)₆](NO₃)₂, where DMSO =(CH₃)₂SO, were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). The gaseous products of the decomposition were on-line identified by a quadruple mass spectrometer (QMS). Three phase transitions have been detected for this compound in the temperature range of 95–370 K between the following solid phases: stable KIb↔stable KIa at T _C3=195 K, metastable KII↔supercooled K0 at T _C2=230 K and stable KIa→stable K0 at T _C1=337 K. Thermal decomposition of the title compound proceeds in three main stages. In the first stage, which starts just above ca. 380 K, and is continued up to ca. 540 K, the compound loses in two steps four DMSO molecules per one formula unit and undergoes into [Mg(DMSO)₂](NO₃)₂. The second stage starts just immediately after liberating four DMSO ligands and is connected with the decomposition of [Mg(DMSO)₂](NO₃)₂ and the formation of a mixture of solid anhydrous magnesium sulfate, magnesium nitrate and magnesium oxide and also a mixture of gaseous products of the DMSO and Mg(NO₃)₂ decomposition. The third and the last stage corresponds to the decomposition of not decomposed yet magnesium nitrate and formation of magnesium oxide, nitrogen oxides and oxygen.