First Row Transition Metal Phosphides

Abstract

Abstract A review with 209 references of the binary and ternary metal phosphides for the first row transition metals. A large variety exists in M:P stoichiometry for this class of compounds although a number of general trends are easily identified. Compounds with different transition metals having the same M:P ratio often adopt similar crystallographic forms, providing tremendous flexibility in producing isostructural ternary or higher order compounds over a wide composition range. In some cases, however, a given M:P stoichiometry can choose to crystallize in one of two different crystal systems depending on transition metal, temperature, pressure, and dopant metals. Common features of the variety of structural types are presented. Crystal data are tabulated for compounds exhibiting a variety of different M:P stoichiometries for each transition metal in the first series. For ternary phosphides containing more than one first row transition metal, crystal data is also presented showing that these compounds adopt the structure of one of the parent metals involved. The metal phosphides have been well‐studied for the electronic, magnetic, and catalytic properties and a number of examples of these properties are presented.