Binary Dioxygen Complexes of Nickel; Infrared Spectroscopic Evidence for Ni(O₂) and (O₂)Ni(O₂) in Low Temperature Matrices

Abstract

The cocondensation reaction of nickel atoms with oxygen or dilute oxygen–argon matrices at 4.2–10 °K gives rise to the first examples of binary transition metal dioxygen complexes. Variable concentration and diffusion controlled warm up studies and 16 O 2 , 16 O 18 O, 18 O 2 isotope substitution studies establish the stoichiometries of the dioxygen complexes of nickel to be Ni(O 2 ) and (O 2 )Ni(O 2 ). Both complexes have the dioxygen molecule(s) coordinated to the nickel atom in a "sideways" fashion.