Molybdenum Peroxo Complex. Structure and Thermal Behavior

Abstract The molybdenum peroxide (Mo-y) prepared by oxidation of molybdenum metal with hydrogen peroxide has been studied to determine its structure and thermal behavior. Temperature programmed decomposition has been used to study the thermal stability of Mo-y. Two distinct peaks, I and II, of decomposition processes are discernible in Mo-y. Peak I corresponds to the elimination of water of crystallization and peak II to the decomposition of a peroxide ion of Mo-y. IR and UV examinations support the results of the thermal analysis. The IR band at 931 cm−1 and the UV band at 381 nm show the same thermal behavior. Both bands are attributable to the peroxide ion of Mo-y. Spectroscopic studies show that Mo-y has the tetrahedral coordination derived from the single molybdenum complex, which has double bond oxygens attached to Mo atom and has a symmetric type of peroxide ion with one water of crystallization.