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Copper(II) phosphate

Chemical compound From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Copper(II) phosphate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Cu3(PO4)2. It can be regarded as the cupric salt of phosphoric acid. Anhydrous copper(II) phosphate and a trihydrate are blue solids.

Quick facts Names, Identifiers ...
Copper(II) phosphate
[Cu2+]3[PO3−4]2
Names
IUPAC name
copper(II) phosphate
Other names
  • anhydrous:
  • cupric phosphate
  • tricopper diphosphate
  • tricopper bis(orthophosphate)
  • copper phosphate (3:2)
  • trihydrate:
  • cupric phosphate trihydrate
  • copper(II) phosphate–water (3:2:3)
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.322 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • anhydrous: 232-254-5
UNII
  • anhydrous: InChI=1S/3Cu.2H3O4P/c;;;2*1-5(2,3)4/h;;;2*(H3,1,2,3,4)/q3*+2;;/p-6
    Key: GQDHEYWVLBJKBA-UHFFFAOYSA-H
  • trihydrate: InChI=1S/3Cu.2H3O4P.3H2O/c;;;2*1-5(2,3)4;;;/h;;;2*(H3,1,2,3,4);3*1H2/q3*+2;;;;;/p-6
    Key: IVAIWXUKIPQQPY-UHFFFAOYSA-H
  • anhydrous: [Cu++].[Cu++].[Cu++].[O-]P([O-])([O-])=O.[O-]P([O-])([O-])=O
  • trihydrate: O.O.O.[Cu++].[Cu++].[Cu++].[O-]P([O-])([O-])=O.[O-]P([O-])([O-])=O
Properties[1]
  • Cu3(PO4)2 (anhydrous)
  • Cu3(PO4)2·3H2O (trihydrate)
Molar mass
  • 380.581 g/mol (anhydrous)
  • 434.627 g/mol (trihydrate)
Appearance
  • blue-green triclinic crystals (anhydrous)
  • blue-green orthorhombic crystals (trihydrate)
Melting point > 300 °C (572 °F; 573 K)[2]
insoluble
1.4×10−37
Solubility in acid soluble
Solubility in ammonium hydroxide soluble
Structure (anhydrous)[3]
triclinic
P1
1
a = 4.854 Å, b = 5.29 Å, c = 6.182 Å
α = 72.35°, β = 86.99°, γ = 68.54°
140.95 Å
1
Structure (trihydrate)
orthorhombic
Hazards
GHS labelling:[4]
GHS07: Exclamation mark
Warning
H302, H315, H319, H335
P280, P305+P351+P338
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
[2]
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 2: Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. E.g. chloroformFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
2
0
0
1 mg/m3[2] (TWA)
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):[5]
PEL (Permissible)
 TWA 1 mg/m3 (as Cu)
REL (Recommended)
 TWA 1 mg/m3 (as Cu)
IDLH (Immediate danger)
 TWA 100 mg/m3 (as Cu)
Related compounds
Other cations
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Occurrence

Copper(II) phosphate is relatively commonly encountered as the hydrated species Cu2(PO4)OH, which is green and occurs naturally as the mineral libethenite.[6] Pseudomalachite, Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4, is the most common copper phosphate in nature, typical for some oxidation zones of copper ore deposits.[7]

Structure

Structure of Cu3(PO4)2·H2O. Color code: red = O, blue = Cu, purple = P.

In terms of structure, copper(II) phosphate is a coordination polymer, as is typical for most metal phosphates. The phosphate center is tetrahedral. In the anhydrous material, the copper centers are pentacoordinate. In the monohydrate, the copper adopts 6-, 5-, and 4-coordinate geometries.[8]

Preparation

Hydrated copper(II) phosphate precipitates upon addition of a solution of alkali metal phosphate to an aqueous solution of copper(II) sulfate.[9] The anhydrous material can be produced by a high-temperature (1,000 °C (1,830 °F)) reaction between diammonium phosphate and copper(II) oxide.[3]

2 (NH4)2HPO4 + 3 CuO → Cu3(PO4)2 + 3 H2O + 4 NH3

In laboratories, copper phosphate is prepared by the addition of phosphoric acid to an alkali copper salt such as copper hydroxide, or basic copper carbonate:[citation needed]

3 Cu(OH)2 + 2 H3PO4 → 6 H2O + Cu3(PO4)2
3 Cu2(OH)2CO3 + 4 H3PO4 → 2 Cu3(PO4)2 + 3 CO2 + 9 H2O

Uses

Copper(II) phosphate has many uses. Due to it being a copper metal salt it can be used as a fungicide; it works by denaturating proteins and enzymes in cells of pathogens. Many other copper salts, such as copper(II) sulfate (CuSO4), are used as fungicides.[10]

Another use of copper(II) phosphate is as a fertilizer. Copper is one of the 16 essential elements required for plant growth. Copper(II) phosphate supplies the plant with both phosphorus and copper, which stimulates growth.[11]

References

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