7104. Pentaborane(9)

Nomenclature

CAS number: 19624-22-7
Pentaboron nonahydride.
B5H9; mol wt 63.13.
B 85.62%, H 14.37%.

Description and references

Prepd from diborane: Stock, Mathing, Ber. 69B, 1456 (1936); Schlesinger, Burg, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 53, 4321 (1931); 55, 4009 (1933). Molecular structure determination by rotational spectroscopy: D. Schwoch et al., Inorg. Chem. 16, 3219 (1977). Review of toxicity: see Decaborane(14). Review: Greenwood in Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, J. C. Bailar, Jr. et al., Eds. (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1973) pp 792-801.

Properties

Liquid. mp -46.6°; bp 60°. d40 0.61; vp 66 mm Hg at 0°. Dec very slowly at 150°. Ignites spontaneously in air. Hydrolyzes in water after long heating. Reacts with ammonia to form a diammoniate.

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are dizziness, headache, drowsiness and lightheadedness; incoordination, tremor, convulsions, behavioral changes; tonic spasms of face, neck, abdomen and limbs; irritation of eyes and skin. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 242.