Potassium fluoride

Last updated
Potassium fluoride
Potassium-fluoride-3D-ionic.png
Names
IUPAC name
Potassium fluoride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.228 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
EC Number
  • 232-151-5
PubChem CID
RTECS number
  • TT0700000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/FH.K/h1H;/q;+1/p-1 Yes check.svgY
    Key: NROKBHXJSPEDAR-UHFFFAOYSA-M Yes check.svgY
  • InChI=1S/FH.K/h1H;/q;+1/p-1
    Key: NROKBHXJSPEDAR-REWHXWOFAI
  • Key: NROKBHXJSPEDAR-UHFFFAOYSA-M
  • [F-].[K+]
Properties
KF
Molar mass 58.0967 g/mol (anhydrous)
94.1273 g/mol (dihydrate)
Appearancecolourless
Density 2.48 g/cm3
Melting point 858 °C (1,576 °F; 1,131 K) (anhydrous)
41 °C (dihydrate)
19.3 °C (trihydrate)
Boiling point 1,502 °C (2,736 °F; 1,775 K)
anhydrous:
92 g/100 mL (18 °C)
102 g/100 mL (25 °C)
dihydrate:
349.3 g/100 mL (18 °C)
Solubility soluble in HF
insoluble in alcohol
23.6·10−6 cm3/mol
Structure
cubic
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS-pictogram-skull.svg
Danger
H301, H311, H331 [1]
P261, P264, P270, P271, P280, P301+P310, P302+P352, P304+P340, P311, P312, P321, P322, P330, P361, P363, P403+P233, P405, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704.svgHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
0
0
Flash point Non-flammable
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
245 mg/kg (oral, rat) [2]
Related compounds
Other anions
Potassium chloride
Potassium bromide
Potassium iodide
Other cations
Lithium fluoride
Sodium fluoride
Rubidium fluoride
Caesium fluoride
Francium fluoride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Potassium fluoride is the chemical compound with the formula KF. After hydrogen fluoride, KF is the primary source of the fluoride ion for applications in manufacturing and in chemistry. It is an alkali halide salt and occurs naturally as the rare mineral carobbiite. Solutions of KF will etch glass due to the formation of soluble fluorosilicates, although HF is more effective.

Contents

Preparation

Potassium fluoride is prepared by reacting potassium carbonate with hydrofluoric acid. Evaporation of the solution forms crystals of potassium bifluoride. The bifluoride on heating yields potassium fluoride:

K2CO3 + 4 HF → 2 KHF2 + CO2 ↑ + H2O
KHF2 → KF + HF ↑

Platinum or heat resistant plastic containers are often used for these operations.

Potassium chloride converts to KF upon treatment with hydrogen fluoride. In this way, potassium fluoride is recyclable. [3]

Crystalline properties

KF crystallizes in the cubic NaCl crystal structure. The lattice parameter at room temperature is 0.266 nm. [4]

Applications in organic chemistry

In organic chemistry, KF can be used for the conversion of chlorocarbons into fluorocarbons, via the Finkelstein (alkyl halides) [5] and Halex reactions (aryl chlorides). [3] Such reactions usually employ polar solvents such as dimethyl formamide, ethylene glycol, and dimethyl sulfoxide. [6] More efficient fluorination of aliphatic halides can be achieved with a combination of crown ether and bulky diols in acetonitrile solvent. [7]

Potassium fluoride on alumina (KF/Al2O3) is a base used in organic synthesis. It was originally introduced in 1979 by Ando et al. for inducing alkylation reactions. [8]

Safety considerations

Like other sources of the fluoride ion, F, KF is poisonous, although lethal doses approach gram levels for humans. It is harmful by inhalation and ingestion. It is highly corrosive, and skin contact may cause severe burns.

References

  1. "Potassium Fluoride". sigmaaldrich.com. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  2. Chambers, Michael. "ChemIDplus - 7789-23-3 - NROKBHXJSPEDAR-UHFFFAOYSA-M - Potassium fluoride - Similar structures search, synonyms, formulas, resource links, and other chemical information". chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov.
  3. 1 2 Siegemund, Günter; Schwertfeger, Werner; Feiring, Andrew; Smart, Bruce; Behr, Fred; Vogel, Herward; McKusick, Blaine (2002). "Fluorine Compounds, Organic". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry . Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a11_349. ISBN   978-3-527-30673-2..
  4. "Potassium fluoride". University College London.
  5. Vogel, A. I.; Leicester, J.; Macey, W. A. T. (1956). "n-Hexyl Fluoride". Organic Syntheses . 36: 40. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.036.0040 .
  6. Han, Q.; Li, H-Y. "Potassium Fluoride" in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, 2001 John Wiley & Sons,New York. doi : 10.1002/047084289X.rp214
  7. Silva, Samuel L.; Valle, Marcelo S.; Pliego, Josefredo R. (2020-12-04). "Nucleophilic Fluorination with KF Catalyzed by 18-Crown-6 and Bulky Diols: A Theoretical and Experimental Study" . The Journal of Organic Chemistry. 85 (23): 15457–15465. doi:10.1021/acs.joc.0c02229. ISSN   0022-3263. PMID   33227195. S2CID   227156364.
  8. Blass, Benjamin E. (2002). "KF/Al2O3 Mediated organic synthesis". Tetrahedron. 58 (46): 9301–9320. doi:10.1016/S0040-4020(02)00992-4.