Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Thermal properties of five divalent ruthenium precursors with three types of structures were examined by thermal analyses. Their volatilities and the relationships between their structure and thermal stability were compared by TG analysis. Precursor volatility was found to be inversely proportional to molecular weight. The DSC result showed that substituting a linear pentadienyl ligand for a cyclopentadienyl ligand decreased the thermal stability of a precursor and precursors could be liquefied by attaching an alkyl group longer than methyl group to a Cp ligand. As a result of TG-MS analyses for Ru(DMPD)(EtCp) and Ru(EtCp)2, 2,4-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene was found to be a thermolysis product of Ru(DMPD)(EtCp) though no thermolysis products of Ru(EtCp)2 were observed. These results show that the volatility and decomposition temperature of a divalent ruthenium precursor can be designed by adjusting the precursor's structure.