Thermal behaviour of solid complexes of phenoxyalkanoic acids and divalent metals

Solid cadmium and mercury(II) phenoxyacetates were prepared and investigated by DSC and TG techniques. The cadmium salt decomposed in two steps with the loss of 1.5 water molecules at first and the successive formation of CdCO₃ as final product. Δ_dehH^* associated with the loss of one water molecule was compared with the corresponding values obtained for other phenoxyacetates previously studied and the obtained results were discussed. Anhydrous mercury(II) phenoxyacetate gave, on heating, HgCO₃ which successively decomposed with the formation of gaseous products and a little amount of solid residue.