Chloryl fluoride
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chloryl fluoride is the chemical compound with the formula ClO2F. This compound is a gas boiling at −6 °C. It is commonly encountered as side-product in reactions of chlorine fluorides with oxygen sources.[1] It is the acyl fluoride of chloric acid.
| |
 | |
| Names | |
|---|---|
Other names
| |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
|
| ChemSpider | |
PubChem CID |
|
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
| |
| Properties | |
| ClO2F | |
| Molar mass | 86.45 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | Colorless gas |
| Density | 3.534 g/L |
| Melting point | −115 °C |
| Boiling point | −6 °C |
| Related compounds | |
Related compounds |
|
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
| |
Preparation
ClO2F was first reported by Schmitz and Schumacher in 1942, who prepared it by the fluorination of ClO2.[2] The compound is more conveniently prepared by reaction of sodium chlorate and chlorine trifluoride[3] and purified by vacuum fractionation, i.e. selectively condensing this species separately from other products.
Structure
In contrast to O2F2, ClO2F is a pyramidal molecule as predicted by VSEPR. The differing structures reflects the greater tendency of chlorine to exist in positive oxidation states with oxygen and fluorine ligands. The related Cl-O-F compound perchloryl fluoride, ClO3F, is tetrahedral. The related bromine compound bromyl fluoride (BrO2F) adopts the same structure as ClO2F, whereas iodyl fluoride (IO2F) forms a polymeric substance under standard conditions.[4]
Precautions
Rocket fuel chemist John Drury Clark reported in his book Ignition! that chloryl fluoride "is indecently reactive, and the hardest to keep of all the CI-O-F compounds, since it apparently dissolves the protective metal fluoride coatings that make the storage of ClF3 comparatively simple."[5]