Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy in supercritical fluids

Abstract

We have used fast Time-resolved Infrared Spectroscopy (TRIR) to probe organometallic reactions in supercritical fluids on the nanosecond time-scale. This has allowed us to identify, for the first time in solution at room temperature, organometallic noble gas complexes which are formed following irradiation of metal carbonyls in supercritical noble gas solution. We have found that these complexes are surprisingly stable and have comparable reactivity to organometallic alkane complexes. We have also studied the coordination of CO2 to metal centres in supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and provide the first evidence for the formation and reactivity of η1-O bound metal CO2 complexes in solution at or above room temperature. © 1999 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association) N.V. Published by license under the Harwood Academic Publishers imprint, part of The Gordon and Breach Publishing Group.