Fluorinated β-diketonate complexes M(tfac)(2)(TMEDA) (M = Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn) as precursors for the MOCVD growth of metal and metal oxide thin films

Partially fluorinated β-diketonate complexes M(tfac)(2)(TMEDA) (M = Fe 1, Ni 2, Cu 3, Zn 4; tfac = 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedionate; TMEDA = N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine) were synthesized and structurally (sc-XRD) and thermochemically (TGA) characterised. A new polymorph of Fe(tfac)(2)(TMEDA) was found. The structural and physicochemical properties of 1–4 were compared with related M(acac)(2)(TMEDA) and M(hfac)(2)(TMEDA) (acac = 2,4-pentanedionate, hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedionate) β-diketonate complexes to evaluate the effect of the degree of fluorination. A positive effect on the thermal behaviour of the metal acetylacetonates was observed, but no discernible trends. Application of complexes 1–4 as precursors in a MOCVD process yielded either metal (Ni, Cu) or metal oxide thin films (Fe(3)O(4), ZnO), which were further oxidized to NiO, CuO and α-Fe(2)O(3) films by calcination in air at 500 °C.