The investigation of some chemical problems by Raman spectroscopy

The Work described is concerned with the vibrational spectra of (a) compounds containing phosphorus trifluoride and related ligands, and (b) highly-coloured halogen compounds of transition metals. Despite extensive research into compounds of phosphorus trifluoride very little is known about the vibrational spectra of these compounds. To date, the only compound of phosphorus trifluoride to have itse Roman spectrum characterised is tetrakistrifluorophosphinenickel, Ni (PF₃)₄, studied in the Oxford Laboratory by L.A.Woodward and J.R.Hall. Infra-red work on similar compounds has been incomplete and normally only the phosphorus-fluorine stretching vibrations have been recorded. A testing of the predictions of much theoretical discussion on the bondin in such zerovalent metal-trifluorophosphines may be afforded by a spectroscopic examination of a series of M(PF₃)₄ compounds. [to continue reading the abstract please see the pdf]