Vibrational spectroscopic study on some Hofmann type clathrates: M(1-Phenylpiperazine)2Ni(CN)4·2G (M = Ni, Co and Cd; G = aniline)

New Hofmann type aniline clathrates in the form of M(pp)2Ni(CN)4.2G (where pp = 1-phenylpiperazine, G = aniline and M = Ni, Co and Cd) have been prepared in powder form and FT-IR and Raman spectra have been reported. The thermal behaviour of these clathrates has been investigated by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The results suggest that these compounds are similar in structure to the Hofmann type clathrates and their structures consist of corrugated polymeric layers of | M–Ni(CN)4 |∞ with the pp spanned between two metal (M) atoms, of the consecutive two layers.