Raman spectra of certain organo-metallic compounds

Abstract

The Raman effect in a large variety of substances, both organic and inorganic, has been studied in detail in relation to molecular structure. There is, however, an important class of organo-metallic compounds, namely, the metallic alkyls, etc., that have not been properly studied. These compounds would be of special interest, firstly, in view of the peculiar nature of the chemical bonds between carbon and the metallic atoms, and secondly, because of the effect of the very large mass of the metallic atoms on the frequencies of oscillation. The dearth of investigations on these compounds is due mainly to the extremely poisonous nature of their vapours and the spontaneous inflammability of some of them in air. Using a special technique, the Raman spectra of the following compounds of the above class have been studied by the present writer, namely, of zinc dimethyl and diethyl, mercury dimethyl and diethyl, bismuth trimethyl, tin tetramethyl and lead tetraethyl. This paper gives an account of these investigations. 2-Experimental The liquids were contained in the usual double-chambered vessel consisting of a flask intended to contain the undistilled liquid, and a cylindrical Wood's tube into which the liquid is distilled over from the flask.