Molecular engineering of Mn(II) diamine diketonate precursors for the vapor deposition of manganese oxide nanostructures

Molecular engineering of manganese(II) diamine diketonate precursors is a key issue for their use in the vapor deposition of manganese oxide materials. Herein, two closely related b-diketonate diamine Mn(II) adducts with different fluorine contents in the diketonate ligands are examined. The target compounds were synthesized by a simple procedure and, for the first time, thoroughly characterized by a joint experimental-theoretical approach, to understand the influence of the ligand on their structures, electronic properties, thermal behavior, and reactivity. The target compounds are monomeric and exhibit a pseudo-octahedral coordination of the Mn(II) centers, with differences in their structure and fragmentation processes related to the ligand nature. Both complexes can be readily vaporized without premature side decompositions, a favorable feature for their use as precursors for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition applications. Preliminary CVD experiments at moderate growth temperatures enabled the fabrication of high-purity, single-phase Mn3O4 nanosystems with tailored morphology, which hold great promise for various technological applications.