Aluminium borohydride^[1]

Names
IUPAC name Aluminium borohydride
Other names Aluminium borohydride, aluminium tetrahydroborate
Identifiers
CAS Number	16962-07-5 Y[chemspider]
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	55734 Y
PubChem CID	6328559 PubChem has bad formula
UNII	7OBU10UOXG Y
UN number	2870
InChI InChI=1S/Al.3BH4/h;3*1H4/q+3;3*-1 Y Key: LNJYEMMRSAGORU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/Al.3BH4/h;3*1H4/q+3;3*-1 Key: LNJYEMMRSAGORU-UHFFFAOYAC
SMILES [Al+3].[BH4-].[BH4-].[BH4-]
Properties
Chemical formula	AlB3H12
Molar mass	71.51 g·mol−1
Appearance	colorless liquid
Melting point	−64.5 °C (−84.1 °F; 208.7 K)
Boiling point	44.5 °C (112.1 °F; 317.6 K)
Solubility in water	reacts
Hazards
Flash point	Spontaneously ignites
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Aluminium borohydride, also known as aluminium tetrahydroborate, is the chemical compound with the formula Al(BH₄)₃. It is a volatile pyrophoric liquid which is used as a reducing agent in laboratories. Unlike most other metal–borohydrides, which are ionic structures, aluminium borohydride is a covalent compound.^[2][3]

Preparation

Aluminium borohydride is formed by the reaction between sodium borohydride with aluminium chloride:^[4]

3 NaBH₄ + AlCl₃ → Al(BH₄)₃ + 3 NaCl

or as the non-pyrophoric tetrahydrofuran (THF) adduct, by the analogous reaction of calcium borohydride and aluminium chloride in THF:^[2]

3 Ca(BH₄)₂ + 2 AlCl₃ → 3 CaCl₂ + 2 Al(BH₄)₃

Reactions

Like all borohydrides, this compound is a reducing agent and hydride donor. It reacts with water to give elemental hydrogen gas,^[4] and reduces carboxylic esters, aldehydes, and ketones to alcohols.^[2]