Beryllium chloride
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| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
Beryllium chloride
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| Identifiers | |
7787-47-5  |
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| ChemSpider | 22991  |
| Jmol 3D model | Interactive image |
| PubChem | 24588 |
| RTECS number | DS2625000 |
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| Properties | |
| BeCl2 | |
| Molar mass | 79.9182 g/mol |
| Appearance | White or yellow crystals |
| Density | 1.899 g/cm3, solid |
| Melting point | 399 °C (750 °F; 672 K) |
| Boiling point | 482 °C (900 °F; 755 K) |
| 15.1 g/100 mL (20 °C) | |
| Solubility | soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene, and pyridine slightly soluble in chloroform and sulfur dioxide |
| Structure | |
| hexagonal | |
| polymer | |
| Thermochemistry | |
| 7.808 J/K or 71.1 J/mol K | |
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Std molar
entropy (S |
63 J/mol K |
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Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfH |
−6.136 kJ/g or -494 kJ/mol |
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Gibbs free energy (ΔfG˚)
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-468 kJ/mol |
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Std enthalpy of
combustion (ΔcH |
16 kJ/mol |
| Vapor pressure | {{{value}}} |
| Related compounds | |
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Other anions
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Beryllium fluoride Beryllium bromide Beryllium iodide |
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Other cations
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Magnesium chloride Calcium chloride Strontium chloride Barium chloride Radium chloride |
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Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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 verify (what is ?) |
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| Infobox references | |
Beryllium chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula BeCl2. It is a colourless, hygroscopic solid that dissolves well in many polar solvents. Its properties are similar to those of aluminium chloride, due to beryllium's diagonal relationship with aluminium.
Structure and synthesis
Beryllium chloride is prepared by reaction of the metal with chlorine at high temperatures:[1]
- Be + Cl2 → BeCl2
BeCl2 can also be prepared by carbothermal reduction of beryllium oxide in the presence of chlorine.[2] BeCl2 can be prepared by treating Be metal with hydrogen chloride.
The solid is a 1-dimensional polymer consisting of edge-shared tetrahedra.[3] In contrast, BeF2 is a 3-dimensional polymer, with a structure akin to that of quartz. In the gas phase, it exists both as a linear monomer and a bridged dimer with two bridging chlorine atoms where the beryllium atom is 3-coordinate.[4] The linear shape of the monomeric form is as predicted by VSEPR theory. The linear shape contrasts with the monomeric forms of some of the dihalides of the heavier members of group 2, e.g. CaF2, SrF2, BaF2, SrCl2, BaCl2, BaBr2, and BaI2, which are all non-linear.[4]
Reactions
Beryllium chloride is stable in dry air. Beryllium chloride is a Lewis acid and has been used as a catalyst in some organic reactions. It hydrolyzes, evolving hydrogen chloride:
- BeCl2 + 2H2O → Be(OH)2 + 2 HCl
It forms a tetrahydrate, BeCl2•4H2O ([Be(H2O)4]Cl2). BeCl2 is also soluble in oxygenated solvents such as ethers.[5][6]
Applications
Beryllium chloride is used as a raw material for the electrolysis of beryllium, and as a catalyst for Friedel-Crafts reactions.
References
- ↑ Irving R. Tannenbaum "Beryllium Chloride" Inorganic Syntheses, 1957, vol. 5, p. 22. doi:10.1002/9780470132364.ch7
- ↑ Cotton, F. A.; Wilkinson, G. (1980) Advanced Inorganic Chemistry John Wiley and Sons, Inc: New York, ISBN 0-471-02775-8.
- ↑ Wells, A. F. (1984) Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-855370-6.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. (2001) Inorganic Chemistry Academic Press: San Diego, ISBN 0-12-352651-5
External links
- Beryllium chloride at IPCS INTOX databank
- Properties of BeCl2 from NIST
