Diboron tetrachloride 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 ...
with the
formula B
2Cl
4. It is a colorless liquid.
Synthesis
The modern synthesis involves dechlorination of
boron trichloride
Boron trichloride is the inorganic compound with the formula BCl3. This colorless gas is a reagent in organic synthesis. It is highly reactive toward water.
Production and structure
Boron reacts with halogens to give the corresponding trihalides. ...
using copper.
It can also be formed by the electrical
discharge procedure of boron trichloride at low temperatures:
:BCl
3 → BCl
2 + Cl
:Cl + Hg (
electrode
An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte, a vacuum or air). Electrodes are essential parts of batteries that can consist of a variety of materials d ...
) → HgCl or HgCl
2
:2 BCl
2 → B
2Cl
4
Reactions
The compound is used as a
reagent for the synthesis of
organoboron compounds
Organoborane or organoboron compounds are chemical compounds of boron and carbon that are organic derivatives of BH3, for example trialkyl boranes. Organoboron chemistry or organoborane chemistry is the chemistry of these compounds.
Organoboron ...
. For instance, diboron tetrachloride reacts with
ethylene:
:CH
2=CH
2 + B
2Cl
4 → Cl
2B–CH
2–CH
2–BCl
2
The compound absorbs
hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic ...
quickly at
room temperature:
:3 B
2Cl
4 + 3 H
2 → B
2H
6 + 4 BCl
3
References
Chlorides
Boron compounds
Nonmetal halides
Boron halides
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