Alkali metal salts of complex anions containing heteroatom substituents and electrolyte compositions containing these

Claim 2

A compound having the formula: ZMR.sub.x Q.sub.y wherein Z is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium and sodium; wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, Sn (stannous), P, and As; wherein R represents radicals which may be the same or different and are inertly substituted or unsubstituted organic radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 25 carbon atoms, and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 25 carbon atoms; wherein Q represents heteroatom substituents selected from the group consisting of: ##STR13## and any dimeric or trimeric composite of the foregoing radicals, and any group composed of two or three of the above structural units linked directly or through an additional carbon, wherein R' may be the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and any R as defined above; wherein x is zero or a positive integer and equals the total number of R radicals present; and wherein y is a positive integer and equals the total valence of all Q radicals present, subject to the provisos that the sum of x plus y is equal to one plus the valence of the metal M, and that when M is boron, y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 3

The compound of claim 1 wherein said metal M is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, P and As.

Claim 4

The compound of claim 2 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 5

The compound of claim 3 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 6

The compound of claim 4 wherein y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 7

The compound of claim 5 wherein said metal is boron.

Claim 8

The compound of claim 6 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Claim 9

The compound of claim 7 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl.

Claim 10

The compound of claim 8 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl.

Claim 11

The compound of claim 9 wherein the R' radicals are hydrogen.

Claim 12

The compound of claim 1 wherein said alkali metal is lithium.

Claim 13

The compound of claim 11 wherein said metal M is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, P and As.

Claim 14

The compound of claim 12 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 15

The compound of claim 13 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 16

The compound of claim 14 wherein y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 17

The compound of claim 15 wherein said metal is boron.

Claim 18

The compound of claim 16 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Claim 19

The compound of claim 17 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl.

Claim 20

The compound of claim 18 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen methyl and ethyl.

Claim 21

The compound of claim 19 wherein the R' radicals are hydrogen.

Claim 22

An electrolyte composition comprising: (a) an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of inertly substituted and unsubstituted ethers, sulfones, organic sulfates, organic sulfites, organic nitrites and organic nitro compounds; and having dissolved therein: (b) electrolytically active alkali metal salts including an electrolytically active amount of an alkali metal salt having the formula: ZMR.sub.x Q.sub.y wherein Z is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium and sodium; wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, Sn (stannous), P, and As; wherein R represents radicals which may be the same or different and are inertly substituted or unsubstituted organic radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 25 carbon atoms, and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 25 carbon atoms; wherein Q represents heteroatom substituents selected from the group consisting of: ##STR14## and any dimeric or trimeric composite of the foregoing radicals, and any group composed of two or three of the above structural units linked directly or through an additional carbon, wherein each R' may be the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and any R as defined above; wherein x is zero or a positive integer and equals the total number of R radicals present; and wherein y is a positive integer and equals the total valence of all Q radicals present, subject to the provisos that the sum of x plus y is equal to one plus the valence of the metal M, and that when M is boron, y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 23

An electrolyte composition comprising: (a) an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of inertly substituted and unsubstituted ethers, sulfones, organic sulfates, organic sulfites, organic nitrites and organic nitro compounds; and having dissolved therein: (b) electrolytically active alkali metal salts including an electrolytically active amount of an alkali metal salt having the formula: ZMR.sub.x Q.sub.y wherein Z is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium and sodium; wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, Sn (stannous), P, and As; wherein R represents radicals which may be the same or different and are inertly substituted or unsubstituted organic radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 25 carbon atoms, and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 25 carbon atoms; wherein Q represents heteroatom substituents selected from the group consisting of: ##STR14## and any dimeric or trimeric composite of the foregoing radicals, and any group composed of two or three of the above structural units linked directly or through an additional carbon, wherein each R' may be the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and any R as defined above; wherein x is zero or a positive integer and equals the total number of R radicals present; and wherein y is a positive integer and equals the total valence of all Q radicals present, subject to the provisos that the sum of x plus y is equal to one plus the valence of the metal M, and that when M is boron, y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 24

The electrolyte composition of claim 21 wherein said organic solvent is one or more ethers.

Claim 25

The electrolyte composition of claim 22 wherein said metal M is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, P and As.

Claim 26

The electrolyte composition of claim 23 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 27

The electrolyte composition of claim 24 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 28

The electrolyte composition of claim 25 wherein y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 29

The electrolyte composition of claim 26 wherein said metal M is boron.

Claim 30

The electrolyte composition of claim 26 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Claim 31

The electrolyte composition of claim 28 wherein the radicals R are selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl.

Claim 32

The electrolyte composition of claim 29 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl.

Claim 33

The electrolyte composition of claim 30 wherein the R' radicals are hydrogen.

Claim 34

The electrolyte composition of claim 31 wherein the solvent contains dioxolane.

Claim 35

The electrolyte composition of claim 32 wherein the concentration of the alkali metal salt in said solvent is about 0.01 to about 10 molal.

Claim 36

The electrolyte composition of claim 33 wherein the concentration of the alkali metal salt in said solvent is about 0.5 to about 3 molal.

Claim 37

The electrolyte composition of claim 21 wherein said alkali metal is lithium.

Claim 38

The electrolyte composition of claim 35 wherein said organic solvent is one or more ethers.

Claim 39

The electrolyte composition of claim 36 wherein said metal M is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, P and As.

Claim 40

The electrolyte composition of claim 37 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 41

The electrolyte composition of claim 38 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl radicals having 7 to 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 42

The electrolyte composition of claim 39 wherein y is equal to one, two or three.

Claim 43

The electrolyte composition of claim 40 wherein said metal M is boron.

Claim 44

The electrolyte composition of claim 41 wherein the organic radicals R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Claim 45

The electrolyte composition of claim 42 wherein the radicals R are selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl.

Claim 46

The electrolyte composition of claim 43 wherein the R' radicals are selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl.

Claim 47

The electrolyte composition of claim 44 wherein the R' radicals are hydrogen.

Claim 48

The electrolyte composition of claim 45 wherein the solvent contains dioxolane.

Claim 49

The electrolyte composition of claim 46 wherein the concentration of the alkali metal salt in said solvent is about 0.01 to about 10 molal.