Prepd from tantalum pentachloride by the halide exchange method according to the equation TaCl5 +5HF → TaF5 + 5HCl: Ruff, Zedner, Ber. 42, 492 (1909); Ruff, Schiller, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 72, 329 (1911); Kwasnik in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed, 1963) pp 255-256. Prepn from the elements: Fairbrother, Frith, J. Chem. Soc. 1951, 3051. Review of transition metal pentafluorides: Peacock, Adv. Fluorine Chem. 7, 113-145 (1973).