Antimony tribromide ( Sb Br₃) is a

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

containing antimony in its +3 oxidation state.

Production

It may be made by the reaction of

antimony Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb (from la, stibium) and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient t ...

with elemental

bromine Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest element in group 17 of the periodic table ( halogens) and is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a simi ...

, or by the reaction of antimony trioxide with

hydrobromic acid Hydrobromic acid is a strong acid formed by dissolving the diatomic molecule hydrogen bromide (HBr) in water. "Constant boiling" hydrobromic acid is an aqueous solution that distills at and contains 47.6% HBr by mass, which is 8.77 mol/L. ...

. Alternatively, it can be prepared by the action of bromine on a mixture of

antimony sulfide Antimony sulfide may refer to either of two compounds of antimony and sulfur: *Antimony trisulfide Antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) is found in nature as the crystalline mineral stibnite and the amorphous red mineral (actually a mineraloid) metastibn ...

and antimony trioxide at 250 °C.

Uses

It can be added to

polymer A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + ''-mer'', "part") is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...

s such as

polyethylene Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging ( plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including b ...

as a

fire retardant A fire retardant is a substance that is used to slow down or stop the spread of fire or reduce its intensity. This is commonly accomplished by chemical reactions that reduce the flammability of fuels or delay their combustion. Fire retardants m ...

. It is also used in the production of other antimony compounds, in chemical analysis, as a

mordant A mordant or dye fixative is a substance used to set (i.e. bind) dyes on fabrics by forming a coordination complex with the dye, which then attaches to the fabric (or tissue). It may be used for dyeing fabrics or for intensifying stains in ...

, and in dyeing.

Chemical properties

Antimony tribromide has two crystalline forms, both having orthorhombic symmetries. When a warm

carbon disulfide Carbon disulfide (also spelled as carbon disulphide) is a neurotoxic, colorless, volatile liquid with the formula and structure . The compound is used frequently as a building block in organic chemistry as well as an industrial and chemical n ...

solution of SbBr₃ is rapidly cooled, it crystallizes into the needle-like α-SbBr₃, which then slowly converts to the more stable β form. Antimony tribromide hydrolyzes in water to form hydrobromic acid and antimony trioxide: : 2 SbBr₃ + 3 H₂O → Sb₂O₃ + 6 HBr

References

Bromides Metal halides Antimony(III) compounds {{inorganic-compound-stub