SrH2Mg2[Co(I)H5], BaH2Mg5[Co(-I)H4]2 and RbH2Mg5[Co(-I)H4 Ni(0)H4] illustrate how small variations in counter ions are important for the solid state stabilization of 3d-transition metal hydrido complexes as well as influencing electrical and magnetic properties

• Variations in the counter ion support to low valent 3d transition metal hydrido complexes in solids state hydrides influence formal oxidation states as well as their electrical properties. In a combined study using neutron scattering and first principle calculations a very low formal oxidation state of (-I) can be described for cobalt in a slightly distorted tetrahedral Co(-I)H4-complex in BaH2Mg5[Co(-I)H4]2 and in the structurally closely related RbH2Mg5[Co(-I)H4 Ni(0)H4]. This indicates that the electron “back donating” effect via the polarisable hydride ions to the counter ions in the solid state hydrides, can be compared to more conventional “back bonding” and reduce the oxidation state down to -I. The hydrides were synthesised by hot sintering of transition metal powders with the corresponding binary alkali- and alkaline earth hydrides. In the similarly synthesized SrH2Mg2[Co(I)H5] cobalt is formally +I-valent,  showing a high sensitivity to subtle differences in the counter ion framework.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Structural Chemistry

strukturkemi

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)