Carbon suboxide

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Carbon suboxide
Structure of carbon suboxide
Space-filling model of carbon suboxide
IUPAC name propadiene-1,3-dione
Identifiers
CAS number [504-64-3]
PubChem 136332
ChEBI 30086
SMILES O=C=C=C=O
InChI 1/C3O2/c4-2-1-3-5
Properties
Molecular formula C3O2
Molar mass 68.0309 g mol−1
Appearance colorless gas
Density 0.906 ± 0.06 g/cm3, gas at 298 K
Melting point

−107°C

Boiling point

6.8°C

Structure
Molecular shape linear
Related compounds
Related oxides carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide
dicarbon monoxide
carbon trioxide
Related compounds carbon subnitride
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

Carbon suboxide, or tricarbon dioxide, C3O2, is a colorless pungent gas, with four cumulative double bonds, making it a cumulene. It is closely related to CO, CO2 and C2O, and other oxides of carbon.

Brodie discovered it in 1873 by submitting electric current to carbon monoxide.[1][2] Marcellin Berthelot created the name carbon suboxide, [3] while Otto Diels later stated that the more organic names dicarbonyl methane and dioxallene were also correct.

It is synthesized by warming a dry mixture of phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10) and malonic acid or the esters of malonic acid.[4] Therefore, it can be also considered as the anhydride of malonic anhydride, i.e. the "second anhydride" of malonic acid. Malonic anhydride (not the be confused with maleic anhydride) is a real molecule.[5]

Several other ways for synthesis and reactions of carbon suboxide can be found in a review from 1930 by Reyerson.[6]

Carbon suboxide polymerizes spontaneously to a red, yellow, or black solid. The structure is postulated to be poly(α-pyronic), similar to the structure in 2-Pyrone (α-Pyrone). [7][8] In 1969, it was proposed that the color of Martian surface is attributed to this compound, but it was proven to be a wrong concept after the Viking mission.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Brodie B. C. (1873). "Note on the Synthesis of Marsh-Gas and Formic Acid, and on the Electric Decomposition of Carbonic Oxide". Proceedings of the Royal Society (London) 21: 245–247. doi:10.1098/rspl.1872.0052. 
  2. ^ Brodie B. C. (1873). "Über eine Synthese von Sumpfgas und Ameisensäure und die electrische Zersetzung des Kohlenoxyds". Annalen der Chemie 169: 270. doi:10.1002/jlac.18731690119. 
  3. ^ Marcellin Berthelot (1891). "Action de la chaleur sur l'oxyde de carbone". Annales de chimie et de physique 6 (24): 126–132. 
  4. ^ Diels O, Wolf B (1906). "Ueber das Kohlensuboxyd. I". Chemische Berichte 39: 689–697. doi:10.1002/cber.190603901103. 
  5. ^ SpringerLink - Journal Article
  6. ^ Reyerson L. H., Kobe K. (1930). "Carbon Suboxide". Chemical Reviews 7: 479–492. doi:10.1021/cr60028a002. 
  7. ^ M. Ballauff, L. Li, S. Rosenfeldt, N. Dingenouts, J. Beck, P. Krieger-Beck (2004). "Analysis of Poly(carbon suboxide) by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering". Angewandte Chemie International Edition 116 (43): 5843–5846. doi:10.1002/anie.200460263. 
  8. ^ A. Ellern, T. Drews, K. Seppelt. "The Structure of Carbon Suboxide, C3O2, in the Solid State". Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie 627 (1): 73–76. doi:10.1002/1521-3749(200101)627:1<73::AID-ZAAC73>3.0.CO;2-A. 
  9. ^ William T. Plummer & Robert K. Carsont (1969). "Mars: Is the Surface Colored by Carbon Suboxide?". Science 166: 1141. doi:DOI. 

[edit] External links