Photoelectron spectra and electronic structure of some spiroborate complexes

The electronic structure of the valence and core levels of three spiroborate complexes - boron 1,2-dioxyphenylene β-diketonates - has been investigated by methods of UV and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemical density functional theory. The ionization energy of π- and n-orbitals of the dioxyphenylene fragment and β-diketonate ligand were measured from UV photoelectron spectra. This made it possible to determine the effect of substitution of one or two methyl groups by the phenyl in diketone on the electronic structure of complexes. The binding energy of nonequivalent carbon and oxygen atoms were measured from X-ray photoelectron spectra. The results of calculations of the energy of the valence orbitals of complexes allowed us to refer bands observed in the spectra of the valence electrons to the 2s-type levels of carbon and oxygen.