Studies on the nature of cobalt(III) acetate

Abstract

Cobalt(III) acetate exists as a number of species in the solid or in solution. The most important of these appear to be trinuclear oxo-centred complexes, probably the cation [Co₃O(O₂CMe)₆(HO₂CMe)₃]⁺ and the mixed-valence complex [Co₃O(O₂CMe)₆(HO₂CMe)₃]. There is evidence that the hydroxo-bridged dimer [Co₂(O₂CMe)₄(µ-OH)₂] can also form. The preparation of samples containing mainly a single component is aided by careful thin layer chromatographic analysis. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure has been used to elucidate the structures of such amorphous samples.