Hafnium carbamates and ureates: new class of precursors for low-temperature growth of HfO2 thin films.

Novel volatile compounds of hafnium, namely tetrakis-N,O-dialkylcarbamato hafnium(iv) [Hf((i)PrNC(O)O(i)Pr)(4)] () and tetrakis-N,N,N'-trialkylureato hafnium(iv) [Hf((i)PrNC(O)N-(Me)Et)(4)] (), have been synthesized through the simple insertion reaction of isopropyl isocyanate into hafnium isopropoxide and hafnium ethylmethylamide, respectively; based on the promising thermal properties, compound has been evaluated as a precursor for metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of HfO(2) thin films, which resulted in the growth of stoichiometric and crystalline layers with a uniform morphology at temperature as low as 250 degrees C.

Monomeric malonate precursors for the MOCVD of HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films.

New Hf and Zr malonate complexes have been synthesized by the reaction of metal amides with different malonate ligands (L = dimethyl malonate (Hdmml), diethyl malonate (Hdeml), di-tert-butyl malonate (Hdbml) and bis(trimethylsilyl) malonate (Hbsml)). Homoleptic eight-coordinated monomeric compounds of the type ML4 were obtained for Hf with all the malonate ligands employed. In contrast, for Zr only Hdmml and Hdeml yielded the eight-coordinated monomeric compounds of the type ML4, while using the bulky Hdbml and Hbsml ligands resulted into mixed alkoxo-malonato six-coordinated compounds of the type [ML2(OR)2]. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of all the compounds are presented and discussed, and they are found to be monomeric. The complexes are solids and in solution, they retain their monomeric nature as evidenced by NMR measurements. Compared to the classical beta-diketonate complexes, [M(acac)4] and [M(thd)4] (M = Hf, Zr; acac: acetylacetonate; thd: tetramethylheptadione), the new malonate compounds are more volatile, decompose at lower temperatures and have lower melting points. In particular, the homoleptic diethyl malonate complexes of Hf and Zr melt at temperatures as low as 62 degrees C. In addition, the compounds are very stable in air and can be sublimed quantitatively. The promising thermal properties makes these compounds interesting for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). This was demonstrated by depositing HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films successfully with two representative Hf and Zr complexes.

Synthesis, magnetic behaviour, and X-ray structures of dinuclear copper complexes with multiple bridges. Efficient and selective catalysts for polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol.

The use of a potentially tridentate mono-anionic bridging ligand, 1,3-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-propan-2-ol (bdmpp-H), in assembling new dimeric copper complexes with interesting magnetic properties has been investigated. The reaction of copper hydroxide or copper acetate with phenyl phosphinic acid or diphenyl phosphinic acid in the presence of bdmpp-H produces the dinuclear complexes [Cu(bdmpp)(ppi)]2 (1) and [Cu(bdmpp)(dppi-H)]2(dppi)2 (2) (ppi-H = phenylphosphinic acid: dppi-H = diphenylphosphinic acid), respectively. The products have been characterized with the help of analytical, thermal, and spectroscopic (IR, UV-vis, and EPR) techniques. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 1 and 2 reveal that the two bdmpp ligands hold together the dimeric copper unit in each complex through mu-O alkoxide and the pyrazolyl nitrogen ligating centers. Two phenyl phosphinate ligands additionally bridge the dicopper core in 1 to result in octahedral coordination geometry around each metal ion. The diphenyl phosphinic acid acts as a terminal ligand in 2, and thus completes a square pyramidal geometry around each copper ion. Both complexes show a very short Cu...Cu separation (3.001 and 3.065 angstroms for 1 and 2, respectively). The investigation of the magnetic properties reveals the efficiency of the double alkoxide bridge between the two paramagnetic copper ions to mediate strong antiferromagnetic interactions [J/k(B) = -620(5) K (-431(4) cm(-1)) and -685(5) K (-476(4) cm(-1)) for 1 and 2, respectively]. Compounds 1 and 2, along with a few other copper phosphate complexes, were tested as catalysts for the oxidative polymerization of 2,6-dimethylphenol; 1 and 2 were found to be efficient catalysts with an increased selectivity for the formation of the polyphenylene ether. However a related mononuclear octahedral copper complex [Cu(imz)4(dtbp)2] (dtbp-H = di-tert-butylphosphate) was found to be more efficient.

Non-interpenetrating transition metal diorganophosphate 2-dimensional rectangular grids from their 1-dimensional wires: structural transformations under mild conditions.

The manganese, cobalt, and cadmium complexes [M(dtbp)2]n (M = Mn (1) and Co 2) and [Cd(dtbp)2(H2O)]n (3) (dtbp = di-tert-butyl phosphate), which exist as one-dimensional molecular wires, transform to non-interpenetrating rectangular grids [M(dtbp)2(bpy)2.2H2O]n (M = Mn (4), Co (5), and Cd (6)) by the addition of 4,4-bipyridine (bpy) at room temperature. Products 4-6 have also been prepared by a room-temperature reaction or by solvothermal synthesis in methanol through a direct reaction between the metal acetate, di-tert-butyl phosphate, and 4,4'-bipyridine (bpy) in a 1:2:2 molar ratio. Single-crystal X-ray structure determination of 4-6 shows that these compounds are composed of octahedral transition metal ions woven into a two-dimensional grid structure with the help of bpy spacer ligands. The axial coordination sites at the metal are occupied by bulky unidentate dtbp ligands, which prevent any interpenetration of the individual grids. The change of reaction conditions from solvothermal to hydrothermal, for the attempted synthesis of a magnesium grid structure, however leads to the isolation of an organic phosphate [(H2bpy)(H2PO4)2] (7) and an inorganic phosphate [Mg(HPO4)(OH2)3] (8). Compound 7 can also be prepared quantitatively from a direct reaction between bpy and H3PO4. The new organic phosphate 7 is a unique example of a phosphate material with alternating layers of [H2bpy]2+ cations and [H2PO4]- anions that are held together by hydrogen bonds. Solid-state thermal decomposition of 4-6 produced the respective metaphosphate materials [M(PO3)2] (M = Mn (9), Co (10), and Cd (11)). All new metal-organic phosphates have been characterized by elemental analysis, thermal analysis (TGA, DTA, DSC), and IR and NMR spectroscopy. The metaphosphate ceramic materials were characterized by IR spectral and powder X-ray diffraction studies.

Cobalt and manganese nets via their wires: facile transformation in metal-diorganophosphates.

The manganese and cobalt complexes [M(dtbp)2]n (M=Mn, Co; dtbp=di-tert-butyl phosphate), which exist as one-dimensional molecular wires, transform to [M(dtbp)2(bpy)2.2H2O]n by the addition of 4,4-bipyridine (bpy) at room temperature; the latter compounds form noninterpenetrating rectangular grid structures.

Monomeric, tetrameric, and polymeric copper di-tert-butyl phosphate complexes containing pyridine ancillary ligands.

The reaction of di-tert-butyl phosphate (((t)BuO)(2)P(O)(OH), dtbp-H) with copper acetate in the presence of pyridine (py) and 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (collidine) has been investigated. Copper acetate reacts with dtbp-H in a reaction medium containing pyridine, DMSO, THF, and CH(3)OH to yield a one-dimensional polymeric complex [Cu(dtbp)(2)(py)(2)(mu-OH(2))](n) (1) as blue hollow crystalline tubes. The copper atoms in 1 are octahedral and are surrounded by two terminal phosphate ligands, two pyridine molecules, and two bridging water molecules. The mu-OH(2) ligands that are present along the elongated Jahn-Teller axis are responsible for the formation of the one-dimensional polymeric structure. Recrystallization of 1 in a DMSO/THF/CH(3)OH mixture results in the reorganization of the polymer and its conversion to a more stable tetranuclear copper cluster [Cu(4)(mu(3)-OH)(2)(dtbp)(6)(py)(2)] (2) in about 60% yield. The molecular structure of 2 is made up of a tetranuclear core [Cu(4)(mu(3)-OH)(2)] which is surrounded by six bidentate bridging dtbp ligands. While two of the copper atoms are pentacoordinate with a tbp geometry, the other two copper atoms exhibit a pseudooctahedral geometry with five normal Cu-O bonds and an elongated Cu-O linkage. The pentacoordinate copper centers bear an axial pyridine ligand. The short Cu.Cu nonbonded distances in the tetranuclear core of 2 lead to magnetic ordering at low temperature with an antiferromagnetic coupling at approximately 20 K (J(P) = -44 cm(-1), J(c) = -66 cm(-1), g = 2.25, and rho = 0.8%). When the reaction between di-tert-butyl phosphate (dtbp-H) and copper acetate was carried out in the presence of collidine, large dark-blue crystals of monomeric copper complex [Cu(dtbp)(2)(collidine)(2)] (3) formed as the only product. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of 3 reveals a slightly distorted square-planar geometry around the copper atom. Thermogravimetric analysis of 1-3 revealed a facile decomposition of the coordinated ligands and dtbp to produce a copper phosphate material around 500 degrees C. An independent solid-state thermolysis of all the three complexes in bulk at 500-510 degrees C for 2 days produced copper pyrophosphate Cu(2)P(2)O(7) along with small quantities of Cu(PO(3))(2) as revealed by DR-UV spectroscopic and PXRD studies.

O-H bond elongation in co-ordinated water through intramolecular P=O...H-O bonding. 'Snap-shots' in phosphate ester hydrolysis.

Molecular structure of [Cu(dtbp)2(phen)(OH2)] (dtbp-H = di-tert-butylphosphate, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), determined at 293, 203 and 93 K, provides useful snap-shots of O-H bond activation of a metal-bound water, which is aided by an intramolecular P=O...H-O hydrogen bonding interaction.