Formation of a Manganese Tricarbonyl on the MgO Surface from Mn2(CO)10: Characterization by Infrared, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopies †

The goal of this work was to prepare structurally well-defined manganese complexes on high-area MgO powder by vapor deposition of Mn{sub 2}(CO){sub 10}. The supported species were characterized by infrared (IR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and X-ray absorption spectroscopies. The results show that when the manganese loading of the sample was 3.0 wt %, most of the Mn{sub 2}(CO){sub 10} was physisorbed, but when the loadings were less, chemisorbed species predominated, being formed by adsorption of Mn{sub 2}(CO){sub 10} on hydroxyl groups on the MgO surface. Treatment of samples containing 1.0 wt % Mn with O{sub 2} at room temperature resulted in oxidation of the manganese and the formation of surface species that are well represented as the d{sup 4} complex Mn(CO){sub 3}(Os){sub 3} (where O{sub s} is surface oxygen of MgO), as indicated by IR and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra. The EXAFS data show Mn-C, C{triple_bond}O, and Mn-O{sub s} bond lengths as 1.90, 1.43, and 1.98 {angstrom}, respectively.