Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Magnesium-doped semiconductors have existing and anticipated applications in the fabrication of blue and green light-emitting diodes, blue and green laser diodes, and in microelectronics devices. At present, the area is limited by the precursor characteristics of bis(cyclopentadienyl)magnesium and substituted derivatives. We will describe our efforts to identify new magnesium source compounds that are potentially superior to magnesocenes and can be used in chemical vapor deposition processes. Monomeric three- and four-coordinate amides have been synthesized and totally characterized. These complexes are low-melting solids and are significantly more volatile than magnesocene derivatives. We will also describe the synthesis and characterization of several other classes of volatile magnesium compounds that might be useful in chemical vapor deposition processes.