Reactions and phases within the TeO2-rich part of the Bi2O3-TeO2 system

The complexes of heavy lanthanides and yttrium with 2,3-dimethoxybenzoic acid of the formula: Ln(C₉h₉O₄)₃·nH₂O, where Ln=Tb(III), Dy(III), Ho(III), Er(III), Tm(III), Yb(III), Lu(III), Y(III), and n=2 for Tb(III), Dy(III), Ho(III), Y(III), n=1 for Er(III), Tm(III), n=0 for Yb(III) and Lu(III) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ir spectroscopy, thermogravimetric studies and x-ray diffraction measurements. The complexes have colours typical for Lnł³⁺ ions (Tb(III), Dy(III), Tm(III), Yb(III), Lu(III), Y(III) - white; Ho(III) - cream and Er(III) - salmon). the carboxylate groups in these complexes are a symmetrical, bidentate, chelating ligand or tridentate chelating-bridging. they are isostructural crystalline compounds characterized by low symmetry. On heating in air to 1273 k the 2,3-dimethoxybenzoates of heavy lanthanides and yttrium decompose in various ways. The complexes of Tb(III), Dy(III), Ho(III), Er(III), Tm(III) and Y(III) at first dehydrate to form anhydrous salts which next are decomposed to the oxides of the respective metals. 2,3-dimethoxybenzoates of Yb(III) and Lu(III) are directly decomposed to oxides. When heated in nitrogen the hydrates also dehydrate in one step to form the anhydrous complexes that next form the mixture of carbon and oxides of respective metals or their carbonates. The solubility of the yttrium and heavy lanthanide 2,3-dimethoxybenzoates in water at 293 k is of the order of 10^-2 mol dm^-3. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.