Organic compounds of niobium and tantalum. Reactions of niobium and tantalum pentaethoxides with ethyl benzoylacetate

Abstract

The following two types of new compounds have been isolated: M(OEt)4- (etbzac) and M(OEt)₃(etbzac)₂ (where M is niobium or tantalum) by the reactions of niobium and tantalum pentaethoxides with ethyl benzoylacetate. Further replacement of the ethoxide group by the ligand is very slow. These derivatives interchange their ethoxide groups with tertiary butanol, yielding the corresponding tertiary butoxide derivatives. All these derivatives can be purified by distillation under reduced pressure. Molecular weight determinations show them to be monomeric in boiling benzene.