SPECTRA OF ANIONS: ACETYLACETONATES,

An investigation was undertaken to establish whether the electronic states of an anion are influenced by an associated metal ion, and if they are, under what conditions. An investigation of the ultraviolet absorption spectra of more than 40 metal acetylacetonates in iso-octane solution reveals that only certain metal ions influence the electronic states of metal acetylacetonates, and that the critical characteristic of the metal ion is its polarizing ability as reflected in Zr. Water as a solvent, contaminant, or component of the acetylacetonate, as in hydrates, destroys this interaction. Other metal ion characteristics which appear as significant variables are the presence or absence of d-orbital electrons, valence, magnetic state, and the molecular geometry. The perturbing influence of reactive solvents, such as the alcohols, is sufficiently great to obliterate most, if not all relationships. Author