PREPARATION OF COLLOIDAL DISPERSIONS OF RUTHENIUM, RHODIUM, OSMIUM AND IRIDIUM BY THE POLYMER-CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION OF CARBONYL CLUSTER COMPOUNDS THEREOF

摘要

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThere is disclosed a method for the preparation of a homogeneous,physically stable dispersion of colloidal metal particles of a transition metalselected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, osmium andiridium, having a size in the range of from about 10 Angstrom units to about200 Angstrom units. The method comprises preparing a solution of afunctional polymer in an inert solvent, and incrementally adding thereto atransition metal cluster compound at a temperature at which the transitionmetal cluster compound will become bound to the polymer and thermallydecompose to produce elemental transition metal particles, the process beingcarried out in an inert atmosphere. Such dispersions may be used per se ascatalysts, or may be used for the preparation of supported colloidal transitionmetal catalysts. The dispersions may also be used for the preparation ofablative optical recording media.