Applications of Raman spectroscopy to solid state chemistry

Abstract

Two investigations of solid state chemistry problems, using various aspects of Raman spectroscopy, are described. The first includes high pressure studies of pyridine and ZnCl2py2. Both of these studies gave phases which have not previously been described. Single crystal polarization studies on CdC12py2 and CuC12py2 gave unambiguous assignments of the lattice vibrations in the polymeric octahedral complexes, which were subsequently used to show that the higher pressure phase of ZnC12py2 belongs to the polymeric octahedral class of structures. The second investigation showed that the decomposition of ammonium metavanadate under ambient pressures to vanadium pentoxide proceeds via the intermediate ammonium hexavanadate. An important contribution was also made in terms of the elucidation of the vibrational spectra of these compounds using techniques such as deuteration, high pressures and temperatures.