1168. Beryllium Hydride

Nomenclature

CAS number: 7787-52-2
BeH2; mol wt 11.03.
Be 81.71%, H 18.28%.

Description and references

Lower purity material prepd by treating dimethylberyllium with LiAlH4 in ether: Barbaras et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 73, 4585 (1951); higher purity by pyrolysis of di-tert-butylberyllium: Coates, Glocking, J. Chem. Soc. 1954, 2526; Head et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 79, 3687 (1957); from triphenyl phosphine and beryllium borohydride: Banford, Coates, J. Chem. Soc. 1964, 5591.

Properties

White solid. Higher purity material is inert to laboratory air. Loss of hydrogen at 190-200° negligible, rapid at 220°. Reacts slowly with water, rapidly with dil acids. Insol in ether, toluene, isopentane. Reacts with diborane to form beryllium borohydride.