METAL-AMMONIA SOLUTIONS .3. SPECTROSCOPY OF QUATERNARY AMMONIUM RADICALS

Techniques for the electrolytic generation and the spectroscopic characterization of quaternary ammonium radicals in liquid ammonia have been developed. The spectra of seven tetraalkylammonium radicals in liquid ammonia have been examined in the range 200-2500 mμ. The effects of concentration and temperature, as well as dissolved salts, upon the spectra have been examined. These data indicate that the absorbing species is the same in each case and has the same characteristics as the absorbing species present in metal-ammonia solutions. The implications of these results with respect to the current theories of metal-ammonia solutions are discussed.