Group 13 Flashcards
Why are ionic compounds contains B3+ ion not known?
First three ionisation enthalpies for boron are very high - so boron compounds contain covalent bonds
How do group 13 overcomes their lack of valence electrons?
By forming 3 centre bonds - often leads to formation of dimers and polymers containing bridging groups
Group 13 elements?
Boron no metal
Aluminium, gallium, indium and thallium are all metals
How is boron obtained?
Elemental boron extracted from deposits of borax several different allotropes of boron nd these all have structures B12 icosahedra interlinked into 3D networks
How is aluminium extracted?
From the ore bauxite AlO(OH) or Al(OH)3, Bayer process dissolves bauxite in aqueous sodium hydroxide to convert it into aluminate [Al(OH)4]- ions, aluminate is cooled to precipitate and solid hydroxide is heated to covert it into oxide
In the second stage aluminium metal is obtained from the purified aluminium oxide by electrolysis where Al2O3 is dissolved in cryolite to reduce the melting point, carried out at 940 -980 degrees C
AlO(OH) + OH- + H2O –> [Al(OH)4]-
[Al(OH)4]- –> Al(OH)3 + OH-
This reaction is the most important
2Al(OH)3 –> Al2O3 + 3H2O
Uses of aluminium?
High tensile strength low density, used in construction and manufacturing, low density and high electrical conductivity used in power lines, pure aluminium readily oxidised but in reality resistant to corrosion because of thin coating of oxide that forms on the surface acts as a physical barrier to reagents
Group 13 oxides?
All group 13 burn in air to form oxides
eg 4Al + 3O2 –> 2Al2O3
What are aluminium and gallium?
Both amphoteric and react with both acids and alkalis to liberate hydrogen
Metallic character of indium and thallium?
Both dissolve in dilute acids but no alkalis reflecting the increase in metallic character going down the group
Boron oxides?
Boron oxide B2O3 is acidic reacts with water to give boric acid
B2O3 + 3H2O –> 2B(OH)3
B-O bonds are strong, anions containing B-O bonds are called borates and there are many examples of these, their structures include cyclic and linear polymers containing planar BO3 and/or tetrahedral BO4 units that are linked by bridging oxygen atoms
Structure of boric acid?
Layer structure molecules with the layers are linked by hydrogen bonds, weak acid but in contract to most oxyacids the acidity is not due to loss of a proton from an O-H bonds, boron atom acts as lewis acid interacting with a water molecule to form B(OH)3(OH2) which loses a proton to form the tetrahedral anion
Heating boric acid?
Loses water to form B2O3 vis metabolic acid
2B(OH)3 –> 2HBO2 –> B2O3
Metabolic acid exists in the most common form of cyclic trimers
Aluminium oxide?
Forms number of polymorphs which differ in reactivity
Group 13 metal cations in solution?
From hexagonal aqua complexes with general formula [M(H2O)6]3+ high charge density on the metal ion polarises the O-H bonds of the coordinated water molecules, ions undergo hydrolysis as a results aqueous solutions are acidic
Boron halides?
BF3, BCl3 gases under standard conditions
BBr3 liquid
BI3 solid
All are monomeric and have trigonal planar structures constant with sp2 hybridisation of the central boron atom, compounds are all lewis acids and form adducts with lewis bases, B-X bond length increases form fluoride to iodide