A Novel Precursor for Preparation of Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structure of Ag(PPh3)2(2-pyCOO)

Abstract

A novel silver complex, Ag(PPh3)2(2-pyCOO)·0.5H2O·0.5C2H6O, was prepared from Ag(CH3COO)(PPh3)2 and 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid and after characterization by elemental analysis, infrared, 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopes, and X-ray crystallography, was used as a precursor for the preparation of silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles were obtained by thermolysis of the silver complex at 350 °C in the presence of oleic acid as a surfactant. Resulting silver nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The formation of silver nanoparticles with an average size of 60 nm and spherical morphology was confirmed by SEM. Bulk silver particles were obtained instead of silver nanoparticles when thermolysis of the silver complex was carried out in the absence of oleic acid.