Abstract
The work described in this thesis is concerned with an investigation into the preparation and properties of ruthenium nitrosyl di-iodide and ruthenium tri-iodide. The preparation of ruthenium nitrosyl di-iodide Ru(NO)I[2], by treating ruthenium dicarbonyl di-iodide Ru(CO)[2]I[2], with nitric oxide is described, and its structure is discussed. A comparison is made between its properties and those of ruthenium nitrosyl tri-iodide Ru(NO)I[3], and ruthenium dicarbonyl di-iodide. The products obtained by treating ruthenium nitrosyl di-iodide with ligands are described and a number of new compounds are reported. These compounds have the general formula Ru(NO)I[2]L[2] (L = monodentate ligand) or Ru(NO)I[2]L' (L' = bidentate ligand). They are non-electrolytes and are feebly paramagnetic. Their structure is discussed. An attempt is made to correlate the frequencies of the NO stretching bands in the infra-red spectra of these compounds with the nature of the ligands present. Attempts to obtain these compounds by treating the carbonyl compounds Ru(CO)[2],I[2]L[2] and Ru(CO)2[IL' with nitric oxide are described. A study of the reaction between aqueous solutions of commercial ruthenium chloride and potassium iodide is reported. This reaction leads to the formation of a precipitate of ruthenium tri-iodide. It is shown that the amount of ruthenium tri-iodide obtained is related to the amount of ruthenium(IV) in the chloride. Ruthenium tri-iodide is not precipitated from ruthenium(III) chloride solutions but is quantitatively formed from ruthenium tetroxide. The composition and structure of ruthenium tri-iodide is discussed.