Aluminium monofluoride, also known as fluoridoaluminium, is the

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 In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwe ...

AlF. This elusive species is formed by the reaction between

aluminium trifluoride Aluminium fluoride is an inorganic compound with the formula . It forms hydrates . Anhydrous and its hydrates are all colorless solids. Anhydrous is used in the production of aluminium. Several occur as minerals. Occurrence and production Aside ...

and metallic

aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

at elevated temperatures but quickly reverts to the reactants when cooled.

Clusters may refer to: Science and technology Astronomy * Cluster (spacecraft), constellation of four European Space Agency spacecraft * Cluster II (spacecraft), a European Space Agency mission to study the magnetosphere * Asteroid cluster, a small ...

derived from related aluminium(I)

halides In chemistry, a halide (rarely halogenide) is a binary chemical compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an element or radical that is less electronegative (or more electropositive) than the halogen, to make a fluo ...

can be stabilized using specialized

ligand In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule with a functional group that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's el ...

s. This molecule has been detected in the

interstellar medium The interstellar medium (ISM) is the matter and radiation that exists in the outer space, space between the star systems in a galaxy. This matter includes gas in ionic, atomic, and molecular form, as well as cosmic dust, dust and cosmic rays. It f ...

, where molecules are so dilute that intermolecular collisions are unimportant.

References

Aluminium(I) compounds Fluorides Metal halides Diatomic molecules {{inorganic-compound-stub

See also

References