The infrared spectra of tutton salts 1. A comparative study of (NH4)2 M″(SO4)2·6H2O (M″=Ni,Co or Mg)

The infrared spectra of (NH₄)₂M″(SO₄)₂.6H₂O has been analysed in the region 4000–250 cm⁻¹. The dynamics of each crystal has been discussed in terms of 234 phonon modes, including 3 acoustical ones, using the unit cell approximation. The ambiguity in the assignments of the bands in the region 900–500 cm⁻¹ has been removed by assigning the bands in this region to the libratory modes of H₂O molecules. It has been concluded that the NH ₄ ⁺ and SO ₄ ²⁻ ions have a symmetry lower thanT _dand also the complex [M″(H₂O)₆]²⁺ has a symmetry lower than O _h . The hydrogen bonding is the strongest in the Ni-salt and the weakest in the Mg-salt.