SYNTHESES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYNUCLEAR METAL-COMPLEXES RELATEDTO A CHEMICAL PRECURSOR SYSTEM FOR THE YBA2CU3O7-X SUPERCONDUCTOR

A chemical precursor system for the YBaCu2O7-x superconductor has been investigated. From [Cu2(O2CCH3)4(H2O)2], Ba(O2CCH3)2, and [Y(O2CCH3)3 (H2O)4] as starting materials and acetic acid and 1,3-bis(dimethylamin o)propan-2-ol (Hbdmap) as the cross-linking agents, the YBa2Cu3O7-x po wder sample obtained had an onset superconducting temperature of 92 K. Polynuclear metal complexes related to this system have been characte rized. Thus [{Cu4(bdmap)2(O2CCH3)6(H2O)6}n], [LaCu2(bdmap)3(O2CCF3)4] and [Cu3(bdmap)3(O2CCF3)2]2[Y2(bdmap)2(O2CCF3)6] have been characteriz ed structurally and their thermal and magnetic properties have been st udied. The compounds decompose to the corresponding oxides when heated under an oxygen atmosphere.