Some reactions of graphite metal halide complexes

Abstract

Investigation of some synthetic metals of graphite have determined new methods of intercalating metal halides and their subsequent analysis. Where appropriate, chemical reactivity of these compounds has been studied to obtain some evidence of their stability to hydrogen reduction and strong oxidising agents. Nuclear magnetic resonance of the 27 Al nuclei in graphite aluminium chloride was investigated in the hope that the percentage of tetrachloroaluminate ions in the structure could be determined. 35Cl resonance was attempted, but results were not available in time for inclusion in this thesis. The environment of the chlorines should be discernible, if a resonance can be observed. In each case high purity, freshly sublimed AlCl3 was used as a standard. Small nitrogen donor ligands have been shown to form complexes in the graphite lamellar compounds where the acceptor is a metal halide. The work covered the co-ordination chemistry of graphite-AlCl3 and graphite CuCl2 with ammonia, methylamine and ethylamine in an attempt to clarify the stages of chelation relative to the free metal halide complexes. Temperature composition diagrams have been included for easy identification. Extensive use of X-ray data confirmed that the complexes of graphite intercalation compounds reside between the layers.