THE ADDUCT FORMED BETWEEN DIMETHYLCADMIUM AND 1,4-DIOXANE, 1,4-DIOXANEDIMETHYLCADMIUM(II) - A CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC AND SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY

The reaction of dimethylcadmium with 1,4-dioxane gives a 1:1 adduct, 1. Recently it has been shown that the growth of CdS by metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) is improved if the commonly used dimethylcadmium is replaced by 1. The nature of 1 in the solid state was unknown and so a sample of 1 was sublimed in vacuo to give colourless crystals, on which an X-ray diffraction study was carried out. The cadmium atom is four coordinate, being bound to two methyl groups (Cd-C 2.09(2) angstrom) and two oxygen atoms (Cd-O(1) 2.88(2) angstrom, Cd-O(4*) 2.75(2) angstrom) from different 1,4-dioxane molecules, giving rise to an unusual one-dimensional polymeric structure. Evidence for an association between dimethylcadmium and 1,4-dioxane in benzene solution was obtained from a spectroscopic study. 1 is not transported in the gas-phase in sizeable quantities, thus casting doubt upon the role conventionally assigned to it in reducing side reactions in MOCVD.