Reactions of niobium tetraiodide with sterically hindered beta-diketones in
the presence of diethylamine gave eight-coordinate Nb(IV) complexes Nb(bet
a-diket)(4). The thermal stability of the complexes at atmospheric pressure
and in a vacuum and the nature of the hydrolysis and oxidation products we
re studied. The possibility of using the complexes as precursors for prepar
ing Nb(IV) oxide layers was examined.