Alkaline earth, transition and lanthanide metal inorganic salt complexes

Claim 1

A method for the preparation of metallo-organic complexes of the general formula: (M.sub.x X.sub.z.nL).sub.y where M is a metal cation selected from alkaline earth metal cations, cations of metals having atomic numbers of from 21 to 30 inclusive, from 39 to 48 inclusive or from 72 to 80 inclusive, and cations of rare earth metals having atomic numbers of from 57 to 71 inclusive; the metal cations M in the complex not necessarily all being the same, and with the proviso that in the complex may contain a proportion of alkali metal or ammonium (NH 4 + ) cations as the cations M; x is the valency of the anion X; X is an anion, all anions X not necessarily being the same; z is the valency of the cation M, the values of x and z being adjusted in the case of complexes containing two or more different cations M and/or two or more different anions X to preserve the overall neutrality of the complex; L is an organic, electron donating ligand (Lewis base); n is a whole number; and y is a whole number having a value of from 1 to a value approaching infinity, depending on the degree of network formation in the complex, which comprises reacting a source of the metal M, or a mixture of such sources, including a mixture of a source of the metal M with an alkali metal source, with a solid anhydrous ammonium salt, or a mixture of such salts, the reaction being carried out under anhydrous conditions in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent and in the presence of the organic electron donating ligand (Lewis base), and recovering the complex from the reaction mixture.

Claim 2

A method for the preparation of metallo-organic complexes of the general formula: (M.sub.x X.sub.z.nL).sub.y where M is a metal cation selected from alkaline earth metal cations, cations of metals having atomic numbers of from 21 to 30 inclusive, from 39 to 48 inclusive or from 72 to 80 inclusive, and cations of rare earth metals having atomic numbers of from 57 to 71 inclusive; the metal cations M in the complex not necessarily all being the same, and with the proviso that in the complex may contain a proportion of alkali metal or ammonium (NH 4 + ) cations as the cations M; x is the valency of the anion X; X is an anion, all anions X not necessarily being the same; z is the valency of the cation M, the values of x and z being adjusted in the case of complexes containing two or more different cations M and/or two or more different anions X to preserve the overall neutrality of the complex; L is an organic, electron donating ligand (Lewis base); n is a whole number; and y is a whole number having a value of from 1 to a value approaching infinity, depending on the degree of network formation in the complex, which comprises reacting a source of the metal M, or a mixture of such sources, including a mixture of a source of the metal M with an alkali metal source, with a solid anhydrous ammonium salt, or a mixture of such salts, the reaction being carried out under anhydrous conditions in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent and in the presence of the organic electron donating ligand (Lewis base), and recovering the complex from the reaction mixture.