Berkelium(III) nitrate
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berkelium(III) nitrate is the berkelium salt of nitric acid with the formula Bk(NO3)3. It commonly forms the tetrahydrate, Bk(NO3)3·4H2O, which is a light green solid. If heated to 450 °C, it decomposes to berkelium(IV) oxide and 22 milligrams of the solution of this compound is reported to cost one million dollars.
A 22 milligram solution of berkelium(III) nitrate, photographed c. 2009/10 | |
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Other names
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| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| Properties | |
| Bk(NO3)3 | |
| Molar mass | 433.01 g/mol |
| Appearance | Light-green solid[1] |
| Melting point | 450 °C (842 °F; 723 K)[1] decomposes |
| Solubility | Soluble in nitric acid |
| Hazards | |
| Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards |
Radioactive |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Production and uses
Berkelium(III) nitrate is produced by the reaction of berkelium metal, the hydroxide,[1] or chloride[2] with nitric acid.[1] This compound has no commercial uses, but was used to synthesize the element tennessine. The aqueous compound was painted onto a titanium foil and was bombarded with calcium-48 atoms to synthesize the element tennessine.[3]
This compound is used as a pathway to pentavalent berkelium compounds by the collision-induced dissociation of this compound to produce BkO2(NO3)2– which contains berkelium in the +5 oxidation state.[2]