Synthesis, Characterization, Crystal Structure, and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis of Zinc, Cadmium, and Mercury Diphosphine Complexes; Precursors for Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

In this article, complexes of Zinc (II), Cadmium (II), and Mercury (II) with xantphos were synthesized and the molecular structure of two new complexes of [Cd(xantphos)I2] and [Hg(xantphos)I2] was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The hirshfeld surface analyses showed different types of intermolecular interactions in these diphosphines complexes. Moreover, the thermal decomposition of complexes was investigated using the thermogravimetric analysis, which approved the calcination of complexes had led to the formation of corresponding metal oxide nanoparticles. The crystallinity and morphology of final metal oxide nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and IR spectroscopy.