DIAMAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF SOME COMPOUNDS CONTAINING OXYGEN LINKED TO NITROGEN OR PHOSPHORUS
The diamagnetic susceptibilities of a number of compounds containing oxygen linked to nitrogen or phosphorus have been measured. The results are interpreted in terms of the apparent contribution of the oxygen atoms to the susceptibility in these and other series of compounds, and are compared with other evidence on the nature of the bonds to oxygen. The results support the usual formula of an amine oxide as R3N → O, but phosphine oxides behave as would be expected for R3P = O. Phosphorus oxyhalides have molar susceptibilities about 4.6 (in units of −10−6 e.m.u.) larger than the corresponding trihalides, a difference close to that for singly bound oxygen in ethers or alcohols. Each oxygen contributes 4.4 in trialkyl phosphites, as might be expected for P(OR)3; but the value in dialkyl phosphites is 4.9 per oxygen, thereby showing behavior similar to that of carboxylic esters. The extra oxygen in trialkyl phosphates as compared with trialkyl phosphites contributes 9.4, a surprisingly large amount.