12-07720. Polonium Tetrachloride [Archived]

Nomenclature

CAS number: 10026-02-5
Cl4Po; mol wt 350.79.
Cl 40.43%, Po 59.57%.
PoCl4.

Description and references

May be prepd by dissolving metallic polonium in hydrochloric acid; by heating polonium dioxide in carbon tetrachloride vapor at 200°; by heating the metal in dry chlorine at 200°; also by heating the dioxide in dry hydrogen chloride, thionyl chloride vapor, or with phosphorus pentachloride: Review: K. W. Bagnall, Chemistry of the Rare Radioelements (Butterworths, London, 1957) p 64.

Properties

Hygroscopic, bright yellow, cryst solid. Monoclinic or triclinic. Hydrolyzed by moist air, forming a white solid of indefinite composition. mp ≈300° (in chlorine), turns scarlet red at 350°. bp 390°. Vapors are purple-brown, turning blue-green >500°. Sol in water (fairly slow hydrolysis). Freely sol in hydochloric acid, thionyl chloride. Moderately sol in ethanol, acetone. Dec by dil nitric acid. Forms a complex with two moles of tributyl phosphate.

Status

This monograph has been retired and is no longer subject to revision or update.