Germanium dichloride

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Germanium dichloride
Germanium dichloride.png
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Germanium dichloride
Systematic IUPAC name
Dichlorogermanylidene
Other names
Dichlorogermylene

Germanium(II) chloride

Germanous chloride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.030.162 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
EC Number
  • 233-192-1
PubChem CID
UNII
  • InChI=1S/Cl2Ge/c1-3-2
    Key: QHGIKMVOLGCZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • Cl[Ge]Cl
Properties
GeCl2
Molar mass 143.546 g/mol
Appearancewhite-pale yellow solid
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Germanium dichloride is a chemical compound of germanium and chlorine with the formula GeCl2. It is a yellow solid. Germanium dichloride is an example of a compound featuring germanium in the +2 oxidation state.

Contents

Preparation

Solid germanium dichloride can be produced by comproportionation by passing germanium tetrachloride, GeCl4, over germanium metal at 300 °C and reduced pressure (0.1 mmHg). [1]

GeCl4 + Ge → 2 GeCl2

Germanium dichloride is also formed from the decomposition of trichlorogermane, GeHCl3, at 70 °C. Trichlorogermane is generated when germanium reacts with hydrogen chloride. [1] This reaction involves dehydrohalogenation.

GeHCl3 → GeCl2 + HCl

Another route to germanium dichloride is the reduction of germanium tetrachloride with hydrogen at 800 °C. [1]

GeCl4 + H2 → GeCl2 + 2HCl

Reactions

GeCl2 is hydrolysed to give yellow germanium(II) hydroxide, which on warming gives brown germanium monoxide: [1]

GeCl2 + 2 H2O ⇌ Ge(OH)2(s) + 2 HCl
Ge(OH)2 → GeO + H2O

Alkalizing a solution containing germanium(II) ions:

Ge2+ + 2 OH− → Ge(OH)2

Germanium oxides and hydroxides are amphoteric. Solutions of GeCl2 in HCl are strongly reducing. [2] With chloride ion, ionic compounds containing the pyramidal GeCl−3 ion have been characterised, for example [3] With rubidium and caesium chloride compounds, e.g. RbGeCl3 are produced; these have distorted perovskite structures. [1]

Germanium dichloride reacts with tetraethylammonium chloride to give the trichlorogermanate: [4]

GeCl2 + Et4NCl → Et4NGeCl3

Dichlorogermylene

Molecular GeCl2 is often called dichlorogermylene, highlighting its resemblance to a carbene. The structure of gas-phase molecular GeCl2 shows that it is a bent molecule, as predicted by VSEPR theory. [5] The dioxane complex, GeCl2·dioxane, has been used as a source of molecular GeCl2 for reaction syntheses, as has the in situ reaction of GeCl4 and Ge metal. GeCl2 is quite reactive and inserts into many types of chemical bonds. [6] Usually, germanium dichloride is generated from germanium dichloride dioxane.

Related Research Articles

In chemistry, an amphoteric compound is a molecule or ion that can react both as an acid and as a base. What exactly this can mean depends on which definitions of acids and bases are being used.

Iron(III) chloride describes the inorganic compounds with the formula FeCl3(H2O)x. Also called ferric chloride, these compounds are available both in anhydrous and hydrated forms which are both hygroscopic. They are common sources of iron in its +3 oxidation state. The anhydrous derivative is a Lewis acid, while the hydrate is a mild oxidizing agent. It is used as a water cleaner and as an etchant for metals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titanium tetrachloride</span> Inorganic chemical compound

Titanium tetrachloride is the inorganic compound with the formula TiCl4. It is an important intermediate in the production of titanium metal and the pigment titanium dioxide. TiCl4 is a volatile liquid. Upon contact with humid air, it forms thick clouds of titanium dioxide and hydrochloric acid, a reaction that was formerly exploited for use in smoke machines. It is sometimes referred to as "tickle" or "tickle 4" due to the phonetic resemblance of its molecular formula to the word.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aluminium chloride</span> Chemical compound

Aluminium chloride, also known as aluminium trichloride, is an inorganic compound with the formula AlCl3. It forms a hexahydrate with the formula [Al(H2O)6]Cl3, containing six water molecules of hydration. Both the anhydrous form and the hexahydrate are colourless crystals, but samples are often contaminated with iron(III) chloride, giving them a yellow colour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copper(II) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Copper(II) chloride, also known as cupric chloride, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula CuCl2. The monoclinic yellowish-brown anhydrous form slowly absorbs moisture to form the orthorhombic blue-green dihydrate CuCl2·2H2O, with two water molecules of hydration. It is industrially produced for use as a co-catalyst in the Wacker process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickel(II) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Nickel(II) chloride (or just nickel chloride) is the chemical compound NiCl2. The anhydrous salt is yellow, but the more familiar hydrate NiCl2·6H2O is green. Nickel(II) chloride, in various forms, is the most important source of nickel for chemical synthesis. The nickel chlorides are deliquescent, absorbing moisture from the air to form a solution. Nickel salts have been shown to be carcinogenic to the lungs and nasal passages in cases of long-term inhalation exposure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thionyl chloride</span> Inorganic compound (SOCl2)

Thionyl chloride is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula SOCl2. It is a moderately volatile, colourless liquid with an unpleasant acrid odour. Thionyl chloride is primarily used as a chlorinating reagent, with approximately 45,000 tonnes per year being produced during the early 1990s, but is occasionally also used as a solvent. It is toxic, reacts with water, and is also listed under the Chemical Weapons Convention as it may be used for the production of chemical weapons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phosphonium</span> Family of polyatomic cations containing phosphorus

In chemistry, the term phosphonium describes polyatomic cations with the chemical formula PR+
4. These cations have tetrahedral structures. The salts are generally colorless or take the color of the anions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold(III) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Gold(III) chloride, traditionally called auric chloride, is an inorganic compound of gold and chlorine with the molecular formula Au2Cl6. The "III" in the name indicates that the gold has an oxidation state of +3, typical for many gold compounds. It has two forms, the monohydrate (AuCl3·H2O) and the anhydrous form, which are both hygroscopic and light-sensitive solids. This compound is a dimer of AuCl3. This compound has a few uses, such as an oxidizing agent and for catalyzing various organic reactions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zirconium(IV) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Zirconium(IV) chloride, also known as zirconium tetrachloride, is an inorganic compound frequently used as a precursor to other compounds of zirconium. This white high-melting solid hydrolyzes rapidly in humid air.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trimethyltin chloride</span> Chemical compound

Trimethyltin chloride is an organotin compound with the formula (CH3)3SnCl. It is a white solid that is highly toxic and malodorous. It is susceptible to hydrolysis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selenium tetrachloride</span> Chemical compound

Selenium tetrachloride is the inorganic compound composed with the formula SeCl4. This compound exists as yellow to white volatile solid. It is one of two commonly available selenium chlorides, the other example being selenium monochloride, Se2Cl2. SeCl4 is used in the synthesis of other selenium compounds.

Selenium monochloride or diselenium dichloride is an inorganic compound with the formula Se2Cl2. Although it is incorrectly called selenium monochloride, one of the correct names might be diselenium dichloride or dichlorodiselane. It is a reddish-brown, oily liquid that hydrolyses slowly. It exists in chemical equilibrium with SeCl2, SeCl4, chlorine, and elemental selenium. Diselenium dichloride is mainly used as a reagent for the synthesis of Se-containing compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metal halides</span>

Metal halides are compounds between metals and halogens. Some, such as sodium chloride are ionic, while others are covalently bonded. A few metal halides are discrete molecules, such as uranium hexafluoride, but most adopt polymeric structures, such as palladium chloride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lead compounds</span> Type of compound

Compounds of lead exist with lead in two main oxidation states: +2 and +4. The former is more common. Inorganic lead(IV) compounds are typically strong oxidants or exist only in highly acidic solutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetraethylammonium chloride</span> Chemical compound

Tetraethylammonium chloride (TEAC) is a quaternary ammonium compound with the chemical formula (C2H5)4N+Cl−, sometimes written as Et4N+Cl−. In appearance, it is a hygroscopic, colorless, crystalline solid. It has been used as the source of tetraethylammonium ions in pharmacological and physiological studies, but is also used in organic chemical synthesis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lead(IV) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Lead tetrachloride, also known as lead(IV) chloride, has the molecular formula PbCl4. It is a yellow, oily liquid which is stable below 0 °C, and decomposes at 50 °C. It has a tetrahedral configuration, with lead as the central atom. The Pb–Cl covalent bonds have been measured to be 247 pm and the bond energy is 243 kJ⋅mol−1.

Germanium(II) hydroxide, normally written as Ge(OH)2, is a poorly characterised compound, sometimes called hydrous germanium(II) oxide or germanous hydroxide. It was first reported by Winkler in 1886.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkelium(III) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Berkelium(III) chloride also known as berkelium trichloride, is a chemical compound with the formula BkCl3. It is a water-soluble green salt with a melting point of 603 °C. This compound forms the hexahydrate, BkCl3·6H2O.

Germanium dichloride dioxane is a chemical compound with the formula GeCl2(C4H8O2), where C4H8O2 is 1,4-dioxane. It is a white solid. The compound is notable as a source of Ge(II), which contrasts with the pervasiveness of Ge(IV) compounds. This dioxane complex represents a well-behaved form of germanium dichloride.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 376. ISBN   978-0-08-037941-8.
  2. ↑ Egon Wiberg, Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001) Inorganic Chemistry, Elsevier ISBN   0-12-352651-5
  3. ↑ Kociok-Köhn, G.; Winter, J. G.; Filippou, A. C. (1999). "Trimethylphosphonium trichlorogermanate(II)". Acta Crystallogr. C. 55 (3): 351–353. doi:10.1107/S010827019801169X.
  4. ↑ Parshall, G. W. (1974). "Tetraethylammonium Trichlorogermanate(l-) and Trichlorostannate(l-)". Inorganic Syntheses. 15: 222–225. doi:10.1002/9780470132463.ch48. ISBN   9780470132463.
  5. ↑ Tsuchiya, Masaki J.; Honjou, Hiroaki; Tanaka, Keiichi; Tanaka, Takehiko (1995). "Millimeter-wave spectrum of germanium dichloride GeCl2. Equilibrium structure and anharmonic force field". Journal of Molecular Structure. 352–353: 407–415. Bibcode:1995JMoSt.352..407T. doi:10.1016/0022-2860(95)08830-O.
  6. ↑ Egorov, M.P.; Gaspar, P. (1994). "Germanium: Organometallic chemistry". Encyclopedia of Inorganic chemistry. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   0-471-93620-0.
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