Copper(I) fluoride

Copper(I) fluoride
IUPAC name

Copper(I) fluoride
Systematic name

Fluorocopper[1]
Other names

Cuprous fluoride
Identifiers
CAS number 13478-41-6 Y
PubChem 3084153
ChemSpider 2341261 Y
Jmol-3D images Image 1
Properties
Molecular formula CuF
Molar mass 82.54 g mol−1
Exact mass 81.928004284 g mol-1
Density 7.1 g cm-3
Structure
Crystal structure sphalerite
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Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Copper(I) fluoride is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula CuF. Its existence is uncertain. It was reported in 1933 to have a sphalerite-type crystal structure.[2] Modern textbooks state that CuF is not known,[3] since fluorine is so electronegative that it will always oxidise copper to its +2 oxidation state.[4] Complexes of CuF such as [(Ph3P)3CuF] are, however, known and well characterised.[5]

Synthesis and reactivity

It can be formed by the reduction of copper(II) fluoride. Unlike copper(I) chloride, copper(I) fluoride tends to disproportionate into copper(II) fluoride and copper in a one to one ratio at ambient conditions, unless it is stabilised through complexation as in the example of [Cu(N2)F].

2CuF → Cu + CuF2

As a result of this disproportiontion, samples slowly become light cyan in colour, the colour of copper(II) fluoride.

References

  1. ^ "Copper Monofluoride - PubChem Public Chemical Database". The PubChem Project. USA: National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=3084153&loc=ec_rcs. 
  2. ^ Ebert, F.; Woitinek, H. (1933). "Kristallstrukturen von Fluoriden. II. HgF, HgF2, CuF und CuF2". Z. anorg. allg. Chem. 210 (3): 269–272. doi:10.1002/zaac.19332100307. 
  3. ^ Housecroft, C. E.; Sharpe, A. G. (2008). Inorganic Chemistry (3rd ed.). Prentice Hall. pp. 737–738. ISBN 978-0131755536. 
  4. ^ Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 1183–1185. ISBN 0080379419. 
  5. ^ Gulliver, D. J.; Levason, W.; Webster, M. (1981). "Coordination Stabilised Copper(I) Fluoride. Crystal and Molecular Structure of Fluorotris(triphenylphosphine)copper(I)·Ethanol (1/2), Cu(PPh3)3F·2EtOH". Inorg. Chim. Acta 52: 153–159. doi:10.1016/S0020-1693(00)88590-4.