Synthesis and Characterisation of Some New Zinc Carbamate Complexes Formed by CO 2 Fixation and Their Use as Precursors for ZnO Particles under Mild Conditions

Herein we report on CO 2 fixation by insertion into the Zn–N bonds of the two molecular compounds EtZnN( i Pr) 2 and EtZnN( i Bu) 2 . The tetrameric carbamate complexes [EtZn(O 2 CNR 2 )] 4 (R = i Pr and i Bu) were found to be the products of these reactions. The structures of the complexes were established by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Thermal decomposition of the carbamate complexes was studied by applying a variety of different analytical techniques. These studies show that the compounds are suitable precursors for nanosized ZnO particles of ca. 10 nm diameter synthesised under mild conditions (< 200 °C) with the oxygen atoms originating from the reactant CO 2 . (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)