Beryllium bromide is the chemical compound with the formula BeBr2. It is very hygroscopic and dissolves well in water. The compound is a polymer with tetrahedral coordinated Be centres.[3]

Preparation and reactions

It can be prepared by reacting beryllium metal with elemental bromine at temperatures of 500 °C to 700 °C:[1]

Be + Br2 → BeBr2

Beryllium bromide is also formed when treating beryllium oxide with hydrobromic acid:

BeO + 2 HBr → BeBr2 + H2O

It hydrolyzes slowly in water: BeBr2 + 2 H2O → 2 HBr + Be(OH)2

Structure

Two forms (polymorphs) of BeBr2 are known. Both structures consist of tetrahedral Be2+ centers interconnected by doubly bridging bromide ligands. One form consist of edge-sharing polytetrahedra. The other form resembles zinc iodide with interconnected adamantane-like cages.[4]

Safety

Beryllium compounds are toxic if inhaled or ingested.

References

  1. ^ a b c Perry, Dale L.; Phillips, Sidney L. (1995), Handbook of Inorganic Compounds, CRC Press, pp. 61–62, ISBN 0-8493-8671-3, retrieved 2007-12-10
  2. ^ a b c NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. "#0054". National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
  3. ^ Crystal modifications of Beryllium dihalides BeCl2, BeBr2, and BeI2 Troyanov, S. I. Zhurnal Neorganicheskoi Khimii (2000), 45(10), 1619-1624.
  4. ^ Buchner, Magnus R.; Dankert, Fabian; Spang, Nils; Pielnhofer, Florian; von Hänisch, Carsten (2020). "A Second Modification of Beryllium Bromide: β-BeBr2". Inorganic Chemistry. 59 (23): 16783–16788. doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c02832. PMID 33185106. S2CID 226850424.