Electron Spin Resonance Studies on Ti(H2O)63+ in Frozen Aqueous Solutions of Titanium(III) Chloride, Bromide, Iodide, and Sulfate
Strongly acidic aqueous solutions of titanium(III) chloride, bromide, iodide, or sulfate (0.02 M metal ion) provide no detectable e.s.r. signal at room temperature. In the frozen solution (77 K) an identical spectrum is observed from each sample with [Formula: see text] A maximum signal is observed at 6–8 M added anion, indicating not all titanium(III) species are e.s.r. active. Analysis indicates that the local symmetry of the Ti3+(3d1) ions providing the signal is D3. It is proposed that these ions are Ti(H2O)63+ species located in sites in the ice structure subject to a strong asymmetric electric field from nearby counter ions. Since the spectrum is independent of anion, the counter ions are unlikely to be in the first or second coordination shell of the Ti3+.