Synthesis, crystal structure modeling and thermal decomposition of yttrium propionate [Y2(CH3CH2COO)6·H2O]·3.5H2O

An yttrium propionate complex was synthesized and characterized for its application as precursor for Y2O3 based oxide thin films deposition and YBa2Cu3O7 − x superconducting thin films. The TG–DTA and FT-IR analyses have revealed the formation of an yttrium propionate complex with the formula [Y2(CH3CH2COO)6·H2O]·3.5H2O. The molecular structure of the yttrium propionate complex was determined by modeling the FT-IR spectra. The coordination numbers for the yttrium ions are eight and nine, respectively being coordinated by bridging bimetallic triconnective and chelating bidentate propionate groups. ermal decomposition of yttrium propionate has been investigated by thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques.