5669. Magnesium Hydride

Nomenclature

CAS number: 60616-74-2
H2Mg; mol wt 26.32.
H 7.66%, Mg 92.34%.

Description and references

Prepd by thermal decompn of diethylmagnesium at 200° in high vacuum: Wiberg, Bauer, Ber. 85, 593 (1952); from the elements: Ellinger et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 77, 2647 (1955).

Properties

White, nonvolatile mass or tetragonal crystals. d 1.45. Dec at 280° in high vacuum. Strong reducing agent. Ignites spontaneously on contact with air, forming MgO and H2O. Dangerous when wet. On contact with water a violent evolution of hydrogen takes place. On contact with methanol, magnesium alcoholate and hydrogen are formed. Forms double hydrides with boron hydride and aluminum hydride.