Group 12 dithiocarbamate complexes: Synthesis, characterization, and X-ray crystal structures of Zn(II) and Hg(II) complexes and their use as precursors for metal sulfide nanoparticles

ABSTRACT

Zn(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) dithiocarbamate complexes were synthesize and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-Vis, FTIR, and ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography revealed that the Zn complex has a centrosymmetric dimeric structure while the Hg complex crystallizes with two monomeric molecules of the mercury complex and two molecules of toluene solvent in the asymmetric unit. The compounds were used as single molecule precursors to synthesize HDA capped metal sulfides nanoparticles with average crystallite size ranging from 7 to 22 nm. The optical properties of the nanoparticles showed evidence of quantum confinement.

KEYWORDS:

• Dithiocarbamates
• crystal structures
• metal sulfides
• chalcogenides
• nanoparticles

Funding

Peter A. Ajibade and Johannes Z. Mbese gratefully acknowledge financial support from GMRDC, University of Fort Hare, South Africa. Bernard Omondi acknowledges the School of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville Campus, for financial support.