Synthesis, spectroscopic, and magnetic studies of new alkoxy and allied bimetallic derivatives of nickel(II) with aluminium

Nickel(II) tetraisopropoxyaluminate undergoes alcoholysis reactions with various alcohols and acetylacetone to yield products with the composition: Ni[Al(OR)4]2 (when ROH = methanol, ethanol, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, n-butanol, and 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol); Ni[Al(O-i-Pr)(O-t-Bu)3]2 (with tertiary butyl alcohol); Ni[Al(O-i-Pr)2(O-t-Am)2]2 (with tertiary amyl alcohol); and Ni[Al(O-i-Pr)2(acac)2] (with acetylacetone). On the basis of their visible reflectance and infrared spectra along with molecular weights and magnetic susceptibilities, and octahedral geometry is tentatively suggested for these complexes in the solid state with indications of an equilibrium between tetrahedral and octahedral forms in solution. The alkoxy ligands have also been fitted into the spectrochemical and nephelauxetic series.