Bromine trifluoride

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Bromine trifluoride
Bromine trifluoride
Properties
Molecular formula BrF3
Molar mass 136.90 g/mol
Appearance straw-coloured liquid
Density 2.8 g/ml, liquid
Melting point

8.8 °C

Boiling point

125.8 °C

Solubility in water decomposes
Structure
Molecular shape T-shaped
Dipole moment 1.19 D
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
EU classification not listed
NFPA 704
0
3
3
OX
Related compounds
Other anions Bromine monochloride
Other cations Chlorine trifluoride
Iodine trifluoride
Related compounds Bromine monofluoride
Bromine pentafluoride
Supplementary data page
Structure and
properties
n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic
data
Phase behaviour
Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

Bromine trifluoride is a highly toxic and corrosive fluoride of bromine with chemical formula BrF3. It was discovered by Paul Lebeau in 1906.[1] It occurs as a colorless, yellow, or gray fuming liquid with an irritating odor. It is soluble in sulfuric acid but may explode on contact with water. While it is a potent fluorinating agent it is less reactive than ClF3. It is used to produce uranium hexafluoride, UF6 in the processing and reprocessing of nuclear fuel.[2]

Contents

[edit] Synthesis

Bromine trifluoride can be obtained by the reaction of bromine with fluorine at 20 °C.

Br2 + 3F2 → 2BrF3

The disproportionation of bromine monofluoride is also a source for bromine trifluoride.

3BrF → BrF3 + Br2[3]

[edit] Structure

Bromine-trifluoride-chemical-structure

Like ClF3 and IF3 the BrF3 molecule is T-shaped. With the two electron pairs the coordination number is 5. The distance from the bromine each axial fluorine is 1.81 Å and to the equatorial fluorine is 1.72 Å. The angle between an axial fluorine and the equatorial fluorine is slightly smaller than 90° — the 86.2° angle observed is due to the repulsion generated by the electron pairs being greater than that of the Br-F bonds.[4][5]

[edit] Chemistry and Properties

Liquid BrF3 is conducting and this is attributed to dissociation:[2]

BrF3 BrF2+ + BrF4

Many ionic fluorides dissolve readily in BrF3 forming solvobases[2] e.g.

KF + BrF3 → KBrF4

[edit] References

  1. ^ Lebeau P. (1906). "The effect of fluorine on chloride and on bromine". Annales de Chimie et de Physique 9: 241–263. 
  2. ^ a b c Greenwood, N. N.; Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements, 2nd Edition, Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4. 
  3. ^ Simons JH (1950). "Bromine (III) Fluoride - Bromine Trifluoride". Inorganic Synthesis 3: 184–186. doi:10.1002/9780470132340.ch48. 
  4. ^ Gutmann V (1950). "Die Chemie in Bromtrifuoride". Angewante Chemie 62: 312–315. doi:10.1002/ange.19500621305. 
  5. ^ Meinert H (1967). "Interhalogenverbindungen". Zeitschrift für Chemie 7: 41.