Berkelium(III) chloride
Names
Other names
  • Berkelium trichloride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
  • InChI=1S/Bk.3ClH/h;3*1H/p-3
    Key: IZRUUNBZXOYLEH-UHFFFAOYSA-K
  • [Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Bk+3]
Properties
BkCl3
Molar mass 353.36 g/mol
Appearance Green solid
Melting point 603 °C (1,117 °F; 876 K)[1]
Soluble
Structure
Hexagonal
P63/m
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Berkelium(III) chloride also known as berkelium trichloride, is a chemical compound with the formula BkCl3. It is a water-soluble green salt with a melting point of 603 °C. This compound forms the hexahydrate, BkCl3·6H2O.

Preparation and reactions

This compound was first prepared in 1970 by reacting hydrogen chloride gas and berkelium(IV) oxide or berkelium(III) oxide at 520 °C:[2]

Bk2O3 + 6HCl → 2BkCl3 + 3H2O

Berkelium(III) chloride reacts with beryllocene to produce berkelocene(Bk(C5H5)3).[3] It also reacts with oxalic acid to produce berkelium oxalate. This reaction is used to purify this compound, by reacting the oxalate with hydrochloric acid.[4]

Structure

Anhydrous berkelium(III) chloride has a hexagonal crystal structure, is isostructural to uranium trichloride, and has the person symbol hP6. When heated it its melting point, it converts to an orthorhombic phase.[2] However, the hexahydrate has a monoclinic crystal structure and is isostructural to americium trichloride hexahydrate with the lattice constants a = 966 pm, b = 654 pm and c = 797 pm.[5] This hexahydrate consists of BkCl2(OH2)6+ ions and Cl− ions.

Complexes

Caesium sodium berkelium chloride is known with the formula Cs2NaBkCl6 and is produced by the reaction of berkelium(III) hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, and caesium chloride.[6]

References

  1. ^ Holleman, Arnold F. and Wiberg, Nils Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry, 102 Edition, de Gruyter, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-11-017770-1
  2. ^ a b J. R. Peterson; B. B. Cunningham (1968). "Crystal structures and lattice parameters of the compounds of berkelium—II: Berkelium trichloride". Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry. 3 (3): 823–828. doi:10.1016/S0898-8838(08)60204-4.
  3. ^ Peter G. Laubereau; John H. Burns (1970). "Microchemical preparation of tricyclopentadienyl compounds of berkelium, californium, and some lanthanide elements". Inorg. Chem. 9 (5): 1091–1095. doi:10.1021/ic50087a018.
  4. ^ J. R. Peterson; J. P. Young; D. D. Ensor; R. G. Haire (1986). "Absorption spectrophotometric and x-ray diffraction studies of the trichlorides of berkelium-249 and californium-249". Inorg. Chem. en. 25 (21): 3779–3782. doi:10.1021/ic00241a015.
  5. ^ John H. Burns; Joseph Richard Peterson (1971). "Crystal structures of americium trichloride hexahydrate and berkelium trichloride hexahydrate". Inorg. Chem. 10 (1): 147–151. doi:10.1021/ic50095a029.
  6. ^ Peterson J. R. and Hobart D. E. "The Chemistry of Berkelium" in Harry Julius Emeléus (Ed.) Advances in inorganic chemistry and radiochemistry, Volume 28, Academic Press, 1984 ISBN 0-12-023628-1, pp. 29–64, doi:10.1016/S0898-8838(08)60204-4
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