A convenient synthesis of antimony sulfide and antimony phosphate nanorods using single source dithiolatoantimony(III) dialkyldithiophosphate precursors

Treatment of ethane-1,2-dithiolatoantimony(III) chloride, SCH2CH2SSbCl with sodium dialkyldithiophosphates, NaS2P(OR)(2) (R = Me, Et, Pr-n and Pr-i) afforded complexes of the composition SCH2CH2SSb{S2P(OR)(2)} which have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR and NMR (H-1 and P-31{H-1}) spectroscopy. Thermal behavior of the complexes has been studied by thermogravimetric analyses. The solvothermal decomposition of the above complexes in ethylene glycol yielded Sb2S3 nanorods whereas the pyrolysis of SCH2CH2SSb{S2P(OR)(2)} (R = Me or Et) in a furnace in a temperature range of 300-500 degrees C gave SbPO4 nanorods. The as-prepared nanocrystallites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, UV-Vis, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopic techniques. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.