Chemistry:Metaboric acid

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Metaboric acid
Metaboronic acid molecule.png
Metaboric acid Space Fill.png
Names
IUPAC name
Oxoborinic acid
Other names
Metaboric acid
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
EC Number
  • 236-659-8
121829
Properties
B3H3O6
Molar mass 131.45 g·mol−1
Appearance white solid
Density 1.784 g cm−3
Melting point 176 °C (349 °F; 449 K)
Acidity (pKa) 9.236
Conjugate base Metaborate
Structure
trigonal at B
Hazards
GHS pictograms GHS07: Harmful
GHS Signal word warning
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references
Tracking categories (test):

Metaboric acid is the name for a family of inorganic compounds with the same empirical formula HBO2.[2] that differ in their molecular structure. They are colourless water-soluble solids formed by the dehydration or decomposition of boric acid.

Metaboric acid is formally the parent acid of the metaborate anions.

Structure

The main forms of metaboric acid are:

  • Modification III, or trimeric, with the molecular formula H
    3
    B
    3
    O
    6
    . The molecule has C3h symmetry, with a six-member ring of alternating boron and oxygen atoms at the core, with OH groups attached to the borons. The crystal structure is orthorhombic with a sheet-like structure, similar to that of boric acid itself.[3] It is obtained by heating orthoboric acid at 80-100 °C, with loss of water:[3]
3 B(OH)
3
(BOH)
3
O
3
+ 3 H
2
O
  • Modification II. A polymer with structure similar to modification III, except that the rings are connected and 1/3 of the boron centres are tetrahedral. The molecular formula is therefore HO[–B(BOH)
    2
    O
    3
    O–]
    n
    H
    The crystal structure is monoclinic.[4] This form has a higher melting point (201 °C) and density (2.045 g/cm3) It is obtained by heating the trimeric form at 130-140 °C in a sealed ampoule (to prevent dehydration), orthorhombic metaboric acid converts to the monoclinic form (II):[4]
Conversion of orthorhombic to monoclinic metaboric acid.
  • Cubic form.[5] It is a white solid and is only slightly soluble in water that melts at about 236 °C. It is obtained by heating either modification II or III above 140 °C.[5]

Reactions

When heated above about 170 °C, metaboric acid dehydrates, forming tetraboric acid, also called pyroboric acid (H2B4O7):[6][7]

4 HBO2 → H2B4O7 + H
2
O

Metaborates

Metaborates are derivatives of BO2. Like metaboric acid, the metaborates exist with disparate structures. Examples are sodium and potassium metaborates, salts formed by deprotonation of orthorhombic metaboric acid containing the cyclic B3O63− ion and calcium metaborate, Ca(BO2)2, which contains the chain polymeric ion (BO2)n.[2]

References

  1. GHS: Sigma-Aldrich 413453
  2. 2.0 2.1 Greenwood, N. N.; & Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd Edn.), Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN:0-7506-3365-4.
  3. 3.0 3.1 H. J. Becher "Metaboric Acid" Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry, 2nd Ed. Edited by G. Brauer, Academic Press, 1963, NY. Vol. 1. p. 791.
  4. 4.0 4.1 W. H. Zachariasen "The crystal structure of monoclinic metaboric acid" Acta Crystallogr. 1963, vol. 16, pp. 385-389. doi:10.1107/S0365110X6300102X
  5. 5.0 5.1 Freyhardt, C. C.; Wiebcke, M.; Felsche, J. (2000). "The monoclinic and cubic phases of metaboric acid (precise redeterminations)". Acta Crystallogr C 56 (3): 276–278. doi:10.1107/S0108270199016042. PMID 10777918. 
  6. Gurwinder Kaur, Shagun Kainth, Rohit Kumar, Piyush Sharma and O. P. Pandey (2021): "Reaction kinetics during non-isothermal solid-state synthesis of boron trioxide via boric acid dehydration." Reaction Kinetics, Mechanisms and Catalysis, volume 134, pages 347–359. doi:10.1007/s11144-021-02084-8
  7. Siavash Aghili, Masoud Panjepour, and Mahmood Meratian (2018): "Kinetic analysis of formation of boron trioxide from thermal decomposition of boric acid under non-isothermal conditions." Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, volume 131, pages 2443–2455. doi:10.1007/s10973-017-6740-3