SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COMPLEXES OF RARE-EARTH PICRATES AND RAC-BIS(ETHYLSULFINYL)METHANE

The compound beta-dissulfoxide bis(ethylsufinyl)methane (besm) was pre pared by oxidation of bis(ethylthio)methane with hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid, and obtained as a mixture of its meso and d,1 diastereome rs. An analytical sample was obtained by recrystallization from chloro form-diethyl ether. The racemic-bis(ethylsulfinyl)methane was characte rized and studied by CHS elemental analysis, high resolution mass spec trometry, infrared spectra, H-1 and C-13 NMR. A series of compounds wi th composition RE(pic)(3)2rac-besm [RE = La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, Er, Tm, Y b, Lu and Y; pic = picrate and rac-besm = racemic-bis(ethylsulfinyl)me thane] were synthesized and characterized by CHNS elemental analysis a nd rare earths complexometric titration with EDTA, conductance measure ments, X-ray powder patterns, infrared spectra, visible absorption of the neodymium and emission spectra of the europium materials. The coor dination polyhedron around the Eu3+ center is probably a dodecahedron with coordination number eight.