Reducing and Basic Nature of Metallic Hydride Surfaces

Abstract

IN the past, the physical properties of transition metal hydrides have been studied almost exclusively, because the chemical properties appeared to be very similar to those of the parent metals. No clear picture of the nature of the hydrogen species in these compounds has emerged, as there is evidence from the physical properties to support protonic, covalent and anionic models¹. This communication describes the reactions of a number of transition metals and their hydrides with organic acid–base and oxidation–reduction indicators.