Tantalum(V) chloride

Tantalum(V) chloride
Identifiers
CAS number 7721-01-9 Y
Properties
Molecular formula TaCl5
Molar mass 358.21 g/mol
Appearance white monoclinic crystals[1]
Melting point

216 °C

Boiling point

239.4 °C (decomp)

Solubility in water reacts
Solubility soluble in ethanol, ether, CCl4
Structure
Crystal structure Monoclinic, mS72
Space group C2/m, No. 12
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of
formation
ΔfHo298
-858.98 kJ/mol
Standard molar
entropy
So298
221.75 J K−1 mol−1
Hazards
EU Index Not listed
Flash point Non-flammable
Related compounds
Other anions Tantalum(V) fluoride
Tantalum(V) bromide
Tantalum(V) iodide
Other cations Vanadium(IV) chloride
Niobium(V) chloride
 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

Tantalum(V) chloride, also known as tantalum pentachloride, is the inorganic compound with the formula TaCl5. This white powder is a starting material in tantalum chemistry. It hydrolyzes readily, releasing HCl. TaCl5 is prepared by heating tantalum metal in chlorine. Samples are often contaminated with tantalum(V) oxychloride (TaOCl3), formed by hydrolysis.

Contents

Structure

TaCl5 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m.[2] The ten chlorine atoms define a pair of octahedra that share a common edge. The tantalum atoms occupy the centres of the octahedra and are joined by two chlorine-bridging ligands. The dimeric structure is retained in non-complexing solvents and to a large extent in the molten state. In the vapour state, however, TaCl5 is monomeric. This monomer adopts trigonal bipyramidal structure, like that of PCl5.[3]

Physical properties

The solubility of tantalum pentachloride increases to a slightly for the following series of aromatic hydrocarbons: benzene< toluene< m-xylene< mesitylene, as reflected in the deepening of colour of the solutions from pale yellow to orange. Tantalum pentachloride is less soluble in cyclohexane and carbon tetrachloride than in the aromatic hydrocarbons. Such solutions of tantalum pentachloride is also known to be a poor conductor of electricity, indicating little ionization. TaCl5 is purified by sublimation to give white needles.

Reactions

TaCl5 is electrophillic and it behaves like a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst, similar to AlCl3. It forms adducts with a variety of Lewis bases.[4]

Simple adducts

TaCl5 forms stable complexes with ethers:

TaCl5 + R2O → TaCl5(OR2) (R = Me, Et)

TaCl5 also reacts with phosphorus pentachloride and phosphorus oxychloride, the former is a chloride donor and the latter serves as a ligand, binding through oxygen:

TaCl5 + PCl5 → [PCl4+][TaCl6]
TaCl5 + OPCl3 → [TaCl5(OPCl3)]

Tantalum pentachloride reacts with tertiary amines to give crystalline adducts.

TaCl5 + 2 R3N → [TaCl5(NMe3)

Chloride displacement reactions

Tantalum pentachloride reacts at room temperature with an excess of triphenyl phosphine oxide to give oxychlorides:

TaCl5 + 3 OPPh3 → [TaOCl3(OP(C6H5)3]x ...

The presumed initial formation of adducts between TaCl5 and hydroxyl compounds such as alcohols, phenols and carboxylic acids is followed immediately by the elimination of hydrogen chloride and the formation of Ta-O bonds:

TaCl5 + 3 HOEt → TaCl2(OEt)3 + 3 HCl

In the presence of ammonia as an HCl acceptor, all five chloride ligands are displaced with formation of Ta(OEt)5. Similarly TaCl5 reacts with lithium methoxide in anhydrous methanol to form related methoxy derivatives:

TaCl5 + 5LiOMe → Ta(OMe)4Cl + 4LiCl

Ammonolysis and amide-forming reactions

Ammonia will displace most of the chloride ligands from TaCl5 to give a cluster. Chloride is displaced more slowly by primary or secondary amines but the replacement of all five chloride centers by amido groups has been achieved by the use of lithium dialkyamides:

TaCl5 + 5LiNR2 → Ta(NR2)5

Tantalum pentachloride is reduced by nitrogen heterocycles such as pyridine.

References

  1. ^ Lide, David R., ed (2006). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87th ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0487-3. 
  2. ^ S. Rabe, U. Müller (2000). "Crystal structure of tantalum pentachloride, (TaCl5)2". Z. Kristallogr. – New Cryst. Struct. 215: 1–2. 
  3. ^ F. Fairbrother (1967). The Chemistry of Niobium and Tantalum. Elsevier. 
  4. ^ F. A. Cotton, G. Wilkinson, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (4th ed.), Wiley, New York, 1980.

Further reading

External links