Synthesis and Characterization of Mixed-Metal Aryloxo-Organometallic Precursors for Oxide−Ceramic Materials

Potential single-source molecular precursors [Ba{( µ -ddbfo) 2 MR x } 2 ] (ddbfoH = 2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-ol; M/R/x = Al/Me/2, Al/Et/2, Ga/Me/2, or Zn/Et/1) for mixed metal oxide materials were prepared by the reaction of barium aryloxide [Ba(ddbfo) 2 (ddbfoH) 2 ]·3ddbfoH with an appropriate organometallic compound in toluene. The precursors were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. The Ba/Al 2 and Ba/Ga 2 complexes undergo thermal decomposition to give mixed metal oxides BaM 2 O 4 (M = Al, at 1300 °C for both Me and Et derivatives; Ga, at 1430 °C). Instead, the Ba/Zn 2 complex decomposes to a mixture of BaCO 3 and different metal oxides. The chemical composition and surface morphology of heterobimetallic oxides were analyzed by SEM-EDS and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) that revealed the formation of highly pure oxide materials with micrometer particle sizes.