Phosphorus pentafluoride

Phosphorus pentafluoride
Identifiers
CAS number 7647-19-0 Y
PubChem 24295
RTECS number TH4070000
Properties
Molecular formula PF5
Molar mass 125.966 g/mol
Appearance colourless gas
Density 5.527 g/cm3
Melting point

-93.78 °C, 179 K, -137 °F

Boiling point

-84.6 °C, 189 K, -120 °F

Solubility in water hydrolysis
Structure
Molecular shape trigonal bipyramidal
Dipole moment 0 D
Hazards
EU Index Not listed
Flash point Non-flammable
Related compounds
Other anions Phosphorus pentachloride
Phosphorus pentabromide
Phosphorus pentaiodide
Other cations Arsenic pentafluoride
Antimony pentafluoride
Bismuth pentafluoride
Related compounds Phosphorus trifluoride
 Y (verify) (what is: Y/N?)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Phosphorus pentafluoride, PF5, is a phosphorus halide. It's a colourless gas at room temperature and pressure.

Structure

Single-crystal X-ray studies indicate PF5 molecule has two distinct P−F bonds (axial and equatorial): P−Fax = 158.0 pm and P−Feq = 152.2 pm. Gas-phase electron diffraction analysis gives similar values: P−Fax = 158 pm and P−Feq = 153 pm.

Fluorine-19 NMR spectroscopy, at temperatures as low as −100 °C fails to distinguish the axial from the equatorial fluorine environments. The apparent equivalency arises from the low barrier for pseudorotation via the Berry mechanism, by which the axial and equatorial fluorine atoms rapidly exchange positions. The apparent equivalency of the F centers in PF5 was first noted by Gutowsky.[1] The explanation was first described by R. Stephen Berry, after whom the Berry mechanism is named. Berry pseudorotation influences the 19F NMR spectrum of PF5 since NMR spectroscopy operates on a millisecond timescale. Electron diffraction and X-ray crystallography do not detect this effect as their timescales are significantly shorter than for NMR spectroscopy.

References

  1. ^ Gutowsky, H. S.; McCall, D. W.; Slichter, C. P. (1953). "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Multiplets in Liquids". J. Chem. Phys. 21 (2): 279. doi:10.1063/1.1698874.