Thermal studies of chromium, molybdenum and ruthenium complexes of chloranilic acid

Chromium, molybdenum and ruthenium complexes of chloranilic acid (H(2)CA) w ere investigated by the thermogravimetric (TG) technique. The TG plot of Cr (H(2)CA)(3) showed three decompositions in the temperature range 336-802 de grees K. On the other hand, the TG plot of MoO3(HCA) complex displayed succ essive weight losses in four steps covering the temperature range 350-1278 degrees K. The thermal decomposition of the cluster compound Ru-3(CO)(10)(m u-H)(HCA) occurred in three steps within the decomposition temperature rang e 302-764 degrees K. Calculation of the reaction order of decompositions of the three complexes revealed that they follow first-order kinetics. The th ermodynamic parameters for the different decomposition steps of the complex es were also determined from their DTG plots. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.