Studies of Structure and Phase Transition in [C(NH2)3]HgBr3 and [C(NH2)3]HgI3 by Means of Halogen NQR, 1H NMR, and Single Crystal X-Ray Diffraction

Abstract

(TThe crystal structure of [C(NH2)3]HgBr3 was determined at room temperature: monoclinic, space group C2/c, Z = 4, a = 775.0(2), b = 1564.6(2), c = 772.7(2) pm, β = 109.12(2)°. In the crystal, almost planar HgBr3- ions are connected via Hg ··· Br bonds, resulting in single chains of trigonal bipyramidal HgBr5 units which run along the c direction. [C(NH2)3]HgI3 was found to be isomorphous with the bromide at room temperature. The temperature dependence of the halogen NQR frequencies (77 < 77K < ca. 380) and the DTA measurements evidenced no phase transition for the bromide, but a second-order phase transition at (251 ± 1) K (Tc1) and a first-order one at (210 ± 1) K for the iodide. The transitions at Tc2are accompanied with strong supercooling and significant superheating. The room temperature phase (RTP) and the intermediate temperature phase (ITP) of the iodide are characterized by two 127I(m=1/2↔3/2) NQR lines which are assigned to the terminal and the bridging I atoms, respectively. There exist three lines in the lowest temperature phase (LTP), indicating that the resonance line of the bridging atom splits into two. The signal intensities of the 127I(m =1/2↔3/2) NQR lines in the LTP decrease with decreasing temperature resulting in no detection below ca. 100 K. The 127I(m=1/2↔3/2) NQR frequency vs. temperature curves are continuous at Tcl, but they are unusual in the LTP. The T1vs. Tcurves of 1H NMR for the bromide and iodide are explainable by the reorientational motions of the cations about their pseudo three-fold axes. The estimated activation energies of the motions are 35.0 kJ/mol for the bromide, and 24.1, 30.1, and 23.0 kJ/mol for the RTP, FTP, and LTP of the iodide, respectively