Preparation and Thermal Decomposition of Zinc/Copper Trimellitates and Pyromellitates
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Durham E-Theses Preparation and thermal decomposition of zinc/copper trimellitates and pyromellitates Walker, Gavin Stuart How to cite: Walker, Gavin Stuart (1995) Preparation and thermal decomposition of zinc/copper trimellitates and pyromellitates, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5312/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 PREPARATION AND THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF ZINC/COPPER TRIMELLITATES AND PYROMELLITATES Gavin Stuart Walker University of Durham Department of Chemistry 1995 A thesis submitted in candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be pubHshed without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. JAN 1998 PREPARATION AND THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF ZINC/COPPER TRIMELLITATES AND PYROMELLITATES Gavin Stuart Walker Ph.D. Thesis Abstract University of Durham 1995 The aim of this research was to prepare and characterise zinc, copper and mixed zinc/copper trimellitates (1,2,4-benzene tricarboxylates) and pyromellitates (1,2,4,5- benzene tetracarboxylates). The characterisation included a study of the thermal decomposition for selected salts. The literature is reviewed, discussing the synthesis, structural properties, and thermal decompostions of carboxylate salts. This review highlights the growing interest in benzene carboxylates, and a summary of the applications of such salts is given at the end of the review. The preparative route investigated in the work reported here involved reacting zinc/copper hydroxycarbonate, (ZnxCu2.x)n(C02)p(OH)q, with the carboxylic acid. This preparation was chosen in an attempt to overcome problems encountered during previous projects, which are discussed in the introduction. The preparation and characterisation of zinc/copper hydroxycarbonates were studied, concentrating on the preparation of single phase products. The hydroxycarbonate route was successful in producing single metal and mixed metal salts of trimellitic and pyromellitic acid. Limits of the solid solution series were deduced for the mixed metal carboxylates. Three trimellitate crystal structures, Zn20H(C6H3(COO)3) . 2H2O, ZnCuOH(C6H3(COO)3) . 2H2O, CuH(C6H3(COO)3) . 2.5H2O, and one pyromellitate structure, ZnH2(C6H2(COO)4) . 6H2O, were determined. The trimellitate structures were all polymeric layers, with the anion bridging between the metal sites. The pyromellitate had an ionic structure with [Zn(li20)^]^'^ cations and [H2(C6H2(COO)4)]2- anions. The dianion had very strong, intramolecular H-bonding. Using these and other crystal structures, it was possible to deduce a correlation between IR absorptions for carboxylate groups and the type of carboxylate coordination. The thermal decomposition of the metal salts was studied. An investigation was undertaken using DSC and temperature programmed decomposition to deduce the mechanism for the thermal decomposition of selected saUs. The effect of the cation ratio (for the mixed metal salts) upon the decomposition was also studied. The work reported here has shown the success of the hydroxycarbonate route for the formation of polycarboxylate salts. Characterisation for a number of new zinc/copper salts is reported. A study of the thermal decompositions for selected salts has deduced the mechanism and factors affecting the decomposition. CONTENTS Declaration i Acknowledgements ii Glossary and Abbreviations iii 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Zinc/Copper Carboxylates 1 1.2Pre^aous Work 3 1.3 Thesis Overview 4 2. PREPARATION, PROPERTIES AND USES OF METAL CARBOXYLATES 7 2.1 Preparation of Carboxylates 7 2. la Aqueous reactions 7 2. lb Non-aqueous reactions 9 2.2 Structural Properties of Metal Carboxylates 11 2.2a Coordination 11 2.2b Crystal structures of benzene polycarboxylates 13 2.2c Structural characterisation by vibrational spectroscopy 23 2.3 Thermal IDecomposition of Metal Carboxylates 27 2.4 Uses of Aromatic Polycarboxylates 33 3. PREPARATION OF ZINC/COPPER MIXED METAL HYDROXYCARBONATES 35 3.1 Introduction 35 3.1a Hydroxycarbonate phases 36 3.1b Preparation of hydroxycarbonates 37 3.2 Discussion of Results 38 3.2a Characterisation of hydroxycarbonates 38 3.2b Precipitation reactions 40 3.2c Constant pH reactions 44 3.3 Conclusion 46 3.4 Experimental Details 47 3.4a Preparation of mixed metal hydroxycarbonates at ~100°C 47 3.4b Preparation of mixed metal hydroxycarbonates at room temperature 52 3.4c Preparation of mixed metal hydroxycarbonates at <4°C 59 3.4d Precipitation preparations of (ZHQ 3CU0 7) hydroxycarbonate 62 3.4e Constant pH preparations of (Zno 5CU0 5) hydroxycarbonate 71 3.4f Constant pH preparations of (Zno 7CU0.3) hydroxycarbonate 73 3.5 Experiment Index 76 4. PREPARATION OF ZINC/COPPER MIXED METAL TRIMELLITATES 77 4.1 Introduction 77 4.2 Discussion of Results 78 4.2a Basic trimellitates 79 4.2b Neutral trimellitates 86 4.2c Acidic trimellitates 88 4.3 Conclusions 95 4.4 Experimental Details 97 4.4a Scaled up preparations of zinc/copper trimellitates 97 4.4b Limits of solution series 101 4.4c Reactions between brass and trimellitic acid.. 104 4.4d Electrochemical reaction between trimellitic acid and brass or copper 105 4.4e Gel crystal growth experiments and crystal structure determinations 108 5. PREPARATION OF ZINC/COPPER MIXED METAL PYROMELLITATES 122 5.1 Introduction 122 5.2 Discussion of Results 129 5.2a Preparation...' 129 5.2b Characterisation 132 5.2c Structure of ZnH2PM . 6H2O 136 5.3 Conclusions 137 5.4 Experimental Details 139 5.4a Investigation of zinc/copper pyromellitates 140 5.4b Scaled up pyromellitate preparations 150 6. THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF ZINC/COPPER TRIMELLITATES AND PYROMELLITATES 156 6.1 Introduction 156 6.2 Experimental 157 6.3 Results and Discussion 159 6.3a Decomposition of zinc trimellitate 159 6.3b Decomposition of copper trimellitate 166 6.3c Decomposition of (Zno QCUQ 1) trimellitate 173 6.3d Decomposition of (Zn^ 75CU0 25) trimellitate 176 6.3e Decomposition of (ZnQ igCuQ 32) trimellitate 179 6.3f Decomposition of zinc pyromellitate 182 6.3g Decomposition of copper pyromellitate 185 6.3h Decomposition of (ZHQ 5CU0.5) pyromellitate 189 6.3i Decomposition of (ZnQ 33CU0 57) pyromellitate 192 6.4 Summary and Conclusion 195 7. CONCLUSION 199 REFERENCES 202 APPENDIX 1. Experimental techniques 207 APPENDIX 2. CoUoquia, lectures and seminars from invited speakers 209 DECLARATION The work described in this thesis was carried out at the University of Durham between October 1991 and September 1994. This thesis is the original work of the author except where acknowledged by reference, and no part has been submitted for a degree in this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be pubUshed without the author's prior written consent, and information derived from it should be acknowledged. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my thanks to Prof Ken Wade and Dr. Jas Pal S. Badyal for their supervision, advice and encouragement throughout this research. I am also indebted to Dr Z.V. Hauptman whose genuine enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge was a constant source of inspiration. I also wish to thank Penny Herbertson for the help and encouragement she has given, especially while I have been writing up away from Durham. I am gratefiil to all the technical staff associated with the Department of Chemistry at Durham for their help and assistance. A grant from the E.P.S.R.C. and ICI studentship are gratefiiUy acknowledged. Finally, I wish to acknowledge the enormous support, help and understanding provided by my wife, Loma Jowett. Words cannot express my most sincere thanks for all the hard work she has done, and also the support and encouragement given me during these past years. Ul GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS DSC differential scanning calorimetry Hemimellitic acid 1.2.3- benzene tricarboxylic acid IR infrared Isophthalic acid 1.3- benzene dicarboxylic acid Mellitic acid benzene hexacarboxylic acid OPri isopropoxide, OCH(CH3)2 Phthalic acid 1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid PM pyromellitate (1,2,4,5-benzene tetracarboxylate) Pyromellitic acid 1,2,4,5-benzene tetracarboxylic acid Terephthalic acid 1.4- benzene dicarboxylic acid TM trimellitate (1,2,4-benzene tricarboxylate) TPDec temperature programmed decomposition Trimesic acid 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylic acid Trimellitic acid 1.2.4- benzene tricarboxylic acid XRD x-ray diffraction Discussion of spectra b broad m/e mass ion (mass/charge) s strong sh shoulder V very w weak 1. INTRODUCTION This thesis describes work undertaken to prepare and characterise novel zinc/copper salts. 'Zinc/copper' is used here to cover not only mixed metal salts, but also the single metal compounds. A study of the thermal decompositions of selected salts is also reported. This introductory chapter is split into three sections. The first section is a brief introduction to this area of chemistry and to some of the concepts behind the project. This is followed by a summary of the previous work carried out by this research group. Finally there is an overview of the thesis, providing a brief summary of the subsequent chapters. 1.1 Zinc/Copper Carboxylates The project was a continuation of research undertaken at Durham, studying zinc/copper carboxylates^"3.