Volatile heterometallics: structural diversity of Pd-Pb β-diketonates and correlation with thermal properties

Volatile heterobimetallics based on Pb(ii) hexafluoroacetylacetonate as a host material and a range of Pd(ii) complexes containing both various donor atoms and terminal substituents in the β-diketonate ligand have been studied to trace the influence of the nature of the initial monometallic complexes on the structure, composition and thermal properties of heterobimetallic compounds. The structural variety and stoichiometry of the heterobimetallic compounds are caused by various combinations of the competing donor-acceptor interactions between the constituting monometallic moieties. The major structure forming factor is the metallophilic interaction between Pd and Pb atoms resulting in polynuclear structures with a specific topology. The structural motif (discrete or polymeric) for the compounds significantly depends on the structure and composition of the initial monometallic complexes. The approach for explaining and predicting the thermal stability of these compounds is proposed by using their structural data and the results of quantum chemistry calculations.