Thermochemical reactivity of transition metal acetates and of a novel DMSO solvate of iron(II) acetate in molecular hydrogen

The thermal decomposition of acetates of the transition metals Fe, Co, Ni, Mn and Cu in molecular hydrogen has been investigated by means of combined thermogravimetry/mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and transmission as well as scanning electron microscopy. In the context of the reproducible preparation of the parent phases, i.e. the hydrated or anhydrous metal(II) acetates, single crystalline Fe-3(CH3COO)(6)(DMSO)(2), a novel DMSO solvate of iron(II) acetate, has been isolated and its crystal structure has been determined by means of X-ray diffraction. For the series of metal(II) acetates it has been found that the course of the thermal degradation in molecular hydrogen, in particular the formation of the gaseous products, strongly depends on the transition metal ion present in the parent compound. The detailed characterisation of the solid products revealed, that phases exhibiting different catalytic activities and selectivities are formed as micro- or nanocrystalline metals and/or metal oxides.