Ligand metathesis in surface-bound alkoxyzirconium complexes. 2. Preparation of alkanecarboxylate complexes in ultrahigh vacuum

The metathetical synthesis of zirconium carboxylates in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) was studied using a combination of infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic, and thermal desorption techniques. The stoichiometries, structural features, and thermal stabilities of the resulting surface complexes were directly measured by these methods. These studies help elucidate structural features of Zr-complex-mediated bonding of carboxylic acid derivatives to a variety of oxide-coated substrates. The preparation of the alkanecarboxylate complexes in UHV is discussed.