A low-temperature matrix isolation infrared study of the interaction between phosphine and zerovalent copper, nickel and chromium

The infrared spectrum of the matrix produced by co-deposition of copper vapour with neat phosphine at 60 K showed new bands at c. 2245, 1057, 1005, 997, 593 and 512 cm-1. These bands shifted to 1635, 766, 742, 733, 450, 370 cm-1 when PD3 was used in place of PH3. When nickel or chromium were used in place of copper, new bands were observed at 2280, 1004 cm-1 and 2250, 1025 cm-1 respectively. The infrared spectrum of the matrix produced by co-deposition of copper vapour with a dilute mixture of phosphine in krypton at 12 K showed new bands at 2250, 970, 968 and 958 cm-1. Experiments involving variation of the PH3 : Kr ratio and replacement of PH3 by a 1 : 1 PH3/PD3 mixture suggest that the latter three bands are due to Cu(PH3)n with n = 1, 3 and 2 respectively.