Beryllium hydroxide
Beryllium hydroxide, Be(OH)2, is an amphoteric hydroxide, dissolving in both acids and alkalis. Industrially, it is produced as a by-product in the extraction of beryllium metal from the ores beryl and bertrandite.[5] The natural pure beryllium hydroxide is rare (in form of the mineral behoite, orthorhombic) or very rare (clinobehoite, monoclinic).[6][7] When alkali is added to beryllium salt solutions the α-form (a gel) is formed. If this left to stand or boiled, the rhombic β-form precipitates.[8] This has the same structure as zinc hydroxide, Zn(OH)2, with tetrahedral beryllium centers.[9]
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| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name Beryllium hydroxide | |
| Other names Hydrated beryllia | |
| Identifiers | |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChEBI | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.033.048 | 
| EC Number | 
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| 1024 | |
| MeSH | Beryllium+hydroxide | 
| PubChem CID | |
| RTECS number | 
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| UNII | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| 
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| Properties | |
| BeH2O2 | |
| Molar mass | 43.026 g·mol−1 | 
| Appearance | Vivid white, opaque crystals | 
| Density | 1.92 g cm−3[1] | 
| Melting point | (decomposes) | 
| 0.0000023965 g/L | |
| Solubility product (Ksp)  | 6.92×10−22[2] | 
| Structure | |
| Linear | |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Heat capacity (C) | 1.443 J K−1 | 
| Std molar entropy (S | 47 J·mol−1·K−1[3] | 
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -904 kJ mol−1[3] | 
| Gibbs free energy (ΔfG˚) | -818 kJ/mol | 
| Hazards | |
| Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
| Main hazards | Carcinogenic | 
| GHS labelling: | |
|    | |
| Danger | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
| LD50 (median dose) | 4 mg kg−1 (intravenous, rat) | 
| NIOSH (US health exposure limits): | |
| PEL (Permissible) | TWA 0.002 mg/m3 C 0.005 mg/m3 (30 minutes), with a maximum peak of 0.025 mg/m3 (as Be)[4] | 
| REL (Recommended) | Ca C 0.0005 mg/m3 (as Be)[4] | 
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | Ca [4 mg/m3 (as Be)][4] | 
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds | Aluminium oxide | 
| Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references | |
Reactions
    
Beryllium hydroxide is difficult to dissolve in water. With alkalis it dissolves to form the tetrahydroxoberyllate/tetrahydroxidoberyllate anion, [Be(OH)4]2−.[10] With sodium hydroxide solution:
- 2NaOH(aq) + Be(OH)2(s) → Na2[Be(OH)4](aq)
With acids, beryllium salts are formed.[10] For example, with sulfuric acid, H2SO4, beryllium sulfate is formed:
- Be(OH)2 + H2SO4 → BeSO4 + 2H2O
Beryllium hydroxide dehydrates at 400 °C to form the soluble white powder, beryllium oxide:[10]
- Be(OH)2 → BeO + H2O
Further heating at higher temperature produces acid insoluble BeO.[10]
References
    
- Pradyot Patnaik. Handbook of Inorganic Chemicals. McGraw-Hill, 2002, ISBN 0-07-049439-8
- John Rumble (June 18, 2018). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (99 ed.). CRC Press. pp. 4–47. ISBN 1138561630.
- Zumdahl, Steven S. (2009). Chemical Principles 6th Ed. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 978-0-618-94690-7.
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. "#0054". National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
- Jessica Elzea Kogel, Nikhil C. Trivedi, James M. Barker and Stanley T. Krukowski, 2006, Industrial Minerals & Rocks: Commodities, Markets, and Uses, 7th edition, SME, ISBN 0-87335-233-5
- Mindat, http://www.mindat.org/min-603.html
- Mindat, http://www.mindat.org/min-1066.html
- Mary Eagleson, 1994, Concise encyclopedia chemistry, Walter de Gruyter, ISBN 3-11-011451-8
- Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-08-037941-8.
- Egon Wiberg, Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001) Inorganic Chemistry, Elsevier ISBN 0-12-352651-5


