1167. Beryllium Fluoride

Nomenclature

CAS number: 7787-49-7
BeF2; mol wt 47.01.
Be 19.17%, F 80.83%.

Description and references

Prepd by heating ammonium fluoroberyllate (NH4)2BeF4: Lebeau, Compt. Rend. 126, 1418 (1898); Kwasnik in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1963) p 231. Review of prepn and properties of beryllium halides: Bell, Adv. Inorg. Chem. Radiochem. 14, 255-332 (1972).

Properties

Glassy hygroscopic mass (tetragonal system). True mp 555°; becomes free-flowing about 800°. Sublimes at 1036° under 1 mm press. in the presence of beryllium. d425 1.986. Very freely sol in water; sparingly sol in alc; more sol in a mixture of alc and ether; insol in anhydr HF.

Caution

Beryllium and beryllium compounds are listed as known human carcinogens: Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition (PB2005-104914, 2004) p III-32.

Use

Manuf of Be and Be alloys; manuf of glass; in nuclear reactors.