Lanthanum(III) oxyfluoride is an
inorganic compound
In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemist ...
of
lanthanum
Lanthanum is a chemical element with the symbol La and atomic number 57. It is a soft, ductile, silvery-white metal that tarnishes slowly when exposed to air. It is the eponym of the lanthanide series, a group of 15 similar elements between lantha ...
,
fluorine
Fluorine is a chemical element with the symbol F and atomic number 9. It is the lightest halogen and exists at standard conditions as a highly toxic, pale yellow diatomic gas. As the most electronegative reactive element, it is extremely reacti ...
, and
oxygen
Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...
with the chemical formula LaOF.
Synthesis
Several methods of synthesizing LaOF are known:
*
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...
of
lanthanum fluoride
Lanthanum trifluoride is a refractory ionic compound of lanthanum and fluorine.
The LaF3 structure
Bonding is ionic with lanthanum highly coordinated. The cation sits at the center of a trigonal prism. Nine fluorine atoms are close: three a ...
by
superheated steam
Superheated steam is steam at a temperature higher than its vaporization point at the absolute pressure where the temperature is measured.
Superheated steam can therefore cool (lose internal energy) by some amount, resulting in a lowering of its ...
:
::
* Decomposition of lanthanum fluoride semihydrate when heated in
vacuum
A vacuum is a space devoid of matter. The word is derived from the Latin adjective ''vacuus'' for "vacant" or "void". An approximation to such vacuum is a region with a gaseous pressure much less than atmospheric pressure. Physicists often dis ...
:
::
* Reacting
lanthanum oxide
Lanthanum(III) oxide, also known as lanthana, chemical formula , is an inorganic compound containing the rare earth element lanthanum and oxygen. It is used in some ferroelectric materials, as a component of optical materials, and is a feedstock ...
with lanthanum fluoride in
vacuum
A vacuum is a space devoid of matter. The word is derived from the Latin adjective ''vacuus'' for "vacant" or "void". An approximation to such vacuum is a region with a gaseous pressure much less than atmospheric pressure. Physicists often dis ...
:
::
Physical properties
The compound forms colorless crystals.
Uses
The compound is used to produce thin films.
References
{{Fluorine compounds
Lanthanum compounds
Oxyfluorides