Co-ordination Compounds of Alkali Metals, with 8-Hydroxyquinoline and Isonitrosoacetophenone

Abstract

As part of a study of the uptake and transport of alkali metals by plants, we are investigating their co-ordination chemistry in an attempt to obtain compounds in which the alkali metal is unequivocally co-ordinated. Earlier reports¹ on compounds formed with salicylaldehyde (HL) suggested formulae of the form MLnHL. In this system we have found n to be continuously variable, only the salt ML being definitely isolated. But with the ligands 8-hydroxyquinoline and isonitrosoacetophenone we have succeeded in isolating crystalline complexes ML.HL or ML.2HL; the product formed depends primarily on the radius of the metal and second on the reaction conditions.