Silver ion carboxylate primary alkylamine complexes

1. A non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex comprising: a reducible silver ion complexed with an α-oxy carboxylate and a primary alkylamine,

the non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex being represented by the following formula (I):

(Ag + ) a (L) b (P) c    (I)

wherein L represents the α-oxy carboxylate; P represents the primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2.

2. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein L is represented by the following formula (II):

wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently hydrogen or linear or branched alkyl groups.

3. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 2 , wherein R 1 is hydrogen or a branched or linear alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 3 are independently branched or linear alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, wherein any of the hydrogen atoms in the R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 branched or linear alkyl groups optionally can be replaced with a fluorine atom.

4. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the α-oxy carboxylate has a molecular weight of 250 or less.

5. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein L is represented by the following formula (III):

wherein R 4 is a branched or linear alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms and any of the hydrogen atoms in the R 4 branched or linear alkyl group optionally can be substituted with a fluorine atom.

6. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the α-oxy carboxylate is selected from the group consisting of lactate, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid, 2-hydroxy-3,3-dimethylbutyric acid, 2-hydroxy-isobutyric acid, 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutyric acid, 2-ethyl-2-hydroxybutyric acid, 2-hydroxy-2,3-dimethylbutyric acid, 2-ethyl-2-methoxybutyric acid, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropanoic acid, 1-hydroxycyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethylsuccinic acid, and 2,4-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethylpentanedioic acid, or

selected from the group consisting of pyruvic acid, 3-methylpyruvic acid, 3,3-dimethylpyruvic acid, 3,3-dimethyl-2-oxobutanoic acid, 3,3-dimethyl-2-oxopentanoic acid, and 2,3-dioxosuccinic acid.

7. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein P is a primary alkylamine having a boiling point of less than or equal to 175° C.

8. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein P is a primary alkylamine having a boiling point of less than or equal to 125° C.

9. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkylamine has an oxidation potential of greater than 1.0 V vs. SCE; the α-oxy carboxylate has a first oxidation potential of at least 1.2 V vs. SCE; and upon decarboxylation of the α-oxy carboxylate, a second radical is generated that has an oxidation potential of less than 1.0 V vs. SCE.

10. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkylamine has an oxidation potential of greater than 1.4 V vs. SCE.

11. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkylamine has a pKa of at least 1 and up to and including 30 as measured in acetonitrile.

12. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkylamine has a pKa of at least 10 and up to and including 25 as measured in acetonitrile, and the primary alkylamine has an oxidation potential that is greater than 1.0 V vs. SCE.

13. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkylamine comprises a branched or linear alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms.

14. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein the primary alkylamine is selected from the group consisting of propylamine, n-butylamine, t-butylamine, isopropylamine, 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine, 2,2,3-pentafluoropropylamine, 3,3,3-trifluoropropylamine, 1,2-dimethylpropylamine, t-amyl amine, isopentylamine, 2-amino-3-methylbutane, 3,3-dimethyl-2-butylamine, 2-aminohexane, and sec-butylamine.

15. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , which meets a silver ion stability test such that when the non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex is held for 24 hours at ambient temperature and under yellow safelight, less than 0.1 mol % of its original silver ion content is reduced to silver metal.

16. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein:

L has a molecular weight of 250 or less, and L is represented by either the following formula (H) or (III):

wherein R 1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 are independently branched or linear alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, wherein any of the hydrogen atoms in the R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 branched or linear alkyl groups optionally can be replaced with a fluorine atom, and R 4 is a branched or linear alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms wherein any of the hydrogen atoms optionally can be replaced with a fluorine atom; and

P is a primary alkylamine that is selected from the group consisting of propylamine, n-butylamine, t-butylamine, isopropylamine, 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine, 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropylamine, 3,3,3-trifluoropropylamine, 1,2-dimethylpropylamine, t-amyl amine, isopentylamine, 2-amino-3-methylbutane, 3,3-dimethyl-2-butylamine, 2-aminohexane, and sec-butylamine.

17. The non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex of claim 1 , wherein:

(i) a and b are both 1 and c is 1 or 2;

(ii) a and b are both 2 and c is 2; or

(iii) a and b are both 2 and c is 4.