Aluminium borohydride
| Structural formula of the aluminium borohydride molecule | |
| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
Aluminium borohydride
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| Other names
Aluminum borohydride, aluminium tetrahydroborate, aluminum tetrahydroborate
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| Identifiers | |
16962-07-5  = |
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| ChemSpider | 55734  |
| Jmol 3D model | Interactive image |
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| Properties | |
| AlB3H12 | |
| Molar mass | 71.51 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | colorless liquid |
| Melting point | −64.5 °C (−84.1 °F; 208.7 K) |
| Boiling point | 44.5 °C (112.1 °F; 317.6 K) |
| reacts | |
| Vapor pressure | {{{value}}} |
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Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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| Infobox references | |
Aluminium borohydride, also known as aluminium tetrahydroborate, (in American English, aluminum borohydride and aluminum tetrahydroborate, respectively) is the chemical compound with the formula Al(BH4)3. It is a volatile pyrophoric liquid which is used as rocket fuel, and as a reducing agent in laboratories. Unlike most other metal–borohydrides, which are ionic structures, aluminium borohydride is a covalent compound.[2][3]
Preparation
Aluminium borohydride is formed by the reaction between sodium borohydride with aluminium chloride:[4]
- 3 NaBH4 + AlCl3 → Al(BH4)3 + 3 NaCl
or as the non-pyrophoric tetrahydrofuran (THF) adduct, by the analogous reaction of calcium borohydride and aluminium chloride in THF:[2]
- 3 Ca(BH4)2 + 2 AlCl3 → 3 CaCl2 + 2 Al(BH4)3
Reactions
Like all borohydrides, this compound is a reducing agent and hydride donor. It reacts with water to give elemental hydrogen gas,[4] and reduces carboxylic esters, aldehydes, and ketones to alcohols.[2]
References
Further reading
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