Hydrazine mixed metal malonates — New precursors for metal cobaltites

Hydrazinium mixed metal malonate dihydrates and bis-hydrazine mixed metal malonates of the molecular formulae (N2H5)2[M13Co23(OOCCH2COO)2 (H2O)2] and [M13Co23(OOCCH2COO)(N2H4)2] respectively, where M = Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn or Cd have been prepared and characterized by chemical analyses, infrared spectroscopy, thermal analyses and X-ray powder diffraction. The metal cobaltites, MCo2O4 where M = Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn or Cd were obtained from the above complexes as decomposition residues by heating these complexes in a pre-heated silica crucible at 500 °C for about fifteen minutes. The final residues were confirmed by analytical data, infrared spectra and X-ray powder diffraction patterns.