Boron Family

Boron, Aluminum, Gallium, Indium and Thallium, Uut

Family Background
Boron is semi-metal whilst Aluminum (Al), Gallium (Ga), Thallium (Tl) and Indium are metals. group 13 (XIII). In their physical properties aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium are metallic. They have three electrons in their outermost shell (a full S orbital and one electron in the P orbital) with the valence electron configuration: ns2np1. The Boron Family has oxidation states +3 or +1. The +3 oxidation states are favorable except for the heavier elements, such as Tl, which prefers +1 oxidation state due to its stability. This is known as the inert pair effect. All the elements tend to follow Periodic Trends except Tl for particular trends, which is noted: 1. Atomic Radius tends to increase going down the group (Tl has the largest atomic radius.) 2. Electrode potential increases going down the group (reactivity decreases as going down group) 3. Ionization Energy decreases going down the group (since the electrons are farther from the core and therefore are easier to remove).

Boron
Basic Facts Ranked 48th among elements in abundance always found combined with other elements. Most common minerals containing boron are tetraborates of sodium or calcium. Na2B4.10H2O Borax is an important source of boron.

Borax Method
Has been used as flux for many years. Used in the Philippines and also other Countries such as Brazil to retrieve gold. Small Scale Mining.

Short History of Boron

First produced by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1808, through electrolysis of molten of molten boric acid. The reduction of boric acid by potassium was used as a preparative method by Gay Lussac and Thenard in 1808, and the reduction of B2O3 by magnesium was the method used by 1895. B2O3 + 3Mg 3 MgO + 2B Impure products are produced because a solid reducing agent is used. the product contains 80% and 95% boron that also contains magnesium and boron oxide as impurities (brownish color). BCl3 + 3 H2 6 HCl + 2 B (reduction with hydrogen as reducing agent proved produced more pure boron.)

Properties of Boron
Classification: Boron is a metalloid Color: black Atomic weight: 10.81 State:solid Melting point: 2075 oC, 2348 K Boiling point: 3727 oC , 4000 K Shells: 2,3 Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p1 Density @ 20oC: 2.34 g/cm3 Atomic volume: 4.6 cm3/mol Hardness: 9.3 mohs (second hardest) Structure: rhombohedral; B12 is icosahedral. The icosahedral structure Ih symmetry of B12 molecule

Bonding in Boron Compounds

Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p1 Removal of three electrons might be expected to form B3+ Requires more energy 6700kJ/mol (high) precludes compounds that are strictly ionic. (Polar covalent bonds do exist-hybridization can be considered leading to a set of sp2 hybrid orbitals).

However, boron burns readily to produce B2O3, a more stable oxide. (heat formation -1264 kJ/mol.

continue
Expected that three equivalent covalent bonds with 120 degree angles. As a result boron halides have the following trigonal planar structure.

Borides, Halides, Hydrides, Polyhedral Boranes and Nitrides

Reaction of Boron with most metals form Borides. 3 Mg + 2 B Mg3B2 (Magnesium boride) Boron Halides: Electron deficient molecules. They tend to act as a strong Lewis acid (accepting electron pairs from donors such as ammonia, pyridine, amines, ethers etc).

Compounds that contain boron and hydrogen are collectively known as Hydrides.

 A molecular orbital diagram for a threecenter bond in diborane. Symmetry of boron group orbitals matches of hydrogen thus giving bonding orbital designated (1)

Polyhedral Boranes
Well defined polyhedrons of boron and hydrogen compounds: 1. Octahedron 2. Square antiprism 3. Bicapped square antiprism 4. Icosahedron (the most common structure).

Boron Nitrides
BN molecule is isoelectronic to C2 because boron has three valence shells and nitrogen has five. Thus allotrophic forms for carbon (graphite and diamond) also exist for materials that have the formula (BN)x BN allotrope

Diamond

Some Uses of Boron

Boron compounds are being evaluated for treating arthritis. Boron compounds are used to produce borosilicate glass. Boron nitride is extremely hard, behaves as an electrical insulator, yet conducts heat, and has lubricating properties similar to graphite. Amorphous boron provides a green color in pyrotechnic devices. Boron-10 is used as a control for nuclear reactors, to detect neutrons, and as a shield for nuclear radiation.

Aluminium

History
People have used alum since ancient times for dyeing, tanning and to stop bleeding. Alum is potassium aluminum sulfate. Aluminum was first isolated in 1825 by Hans Christian rsted (Oersted). Friedrich Whler (Woehler) repeated rsteds experiment but found it yielded only potassium metal. Whler developed the method further two years later, reacting volatalized aluminum trichloride with potassium to produce small amounts of aluminum.

Properties
DATA ZONE Classification: Aluminum is an other metal Color: silvery Atomic weight: 26.98154 g/mol State: solid Melting point: 660.32 oC, 933.57 K Boiling point: 2466.85 oC, 2740.00 K Shells: 2,8,3 Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1 Density @ 20oC: 2.702 g/cm3 Atomic volume: 9.98 cm3/mol Structure: cc: face-centered cubic Hardness: 2.8 mohs

Hot Knife through Butter

Aluminum Compounds
Hydrides: Aluminium trihydrideAlH3 Halides: Aluminium trifluoride AlF3 Oxides: Aluminium oxide () Al2O3 Sulfides: Dialuminium trisulphide Al2S3 Selenides: Dialuminium triselenide Al2Se3 Tellurides:Dialuminium tritelluride Al2Te3 Nitrides: Aluminium nitride: AlN

Hydrides
Geometry Aluminum: 6 Coordinate Octahedral

Halides
Prototypical Structures Prototypical Structures

Sulfides
Geometry of aluminium: 4 coordinate: tetrahedral Prototypical structure:

Oxides
Geometry of aluminium: 6 coordinate: octahedral Prototypical structure:

 Selenide

Telluride

Uses of Aluminum

Gallium

History
Gallium (Ga)[7440-55-3], atomic number 31, was discovered through a study of its spectral properties in 1875 by P.E. Lecoq de Boisbaudan, a French chemist,and named from Gallia, the Latin name for France (also from Latin, gallus, atranslation of Lecoq, a cock).

Abundance
Primary Ga ores are extremely rare, and Ga production from these sources has been very limited. Ga is primarily produced as a byproduct of Al extraction from bauxite ores that typically contain from 30 to 100 ppm Ga. Ga has many chemical similarities to Al but is much less abundant, with an average crustal abundance of 15 19 ppm. The chemical similarities between Ga and Al include a 3+ oxidationstate, tetrahedral or octahedral coordination, amphotericity, and similar atomic radius.

Physical Properties
Classification: Gallium is an other metal Color: silvery-blue Atomic weight: 69.723 State: solid Melting point: 29.76 oC, 302.91 K Boiling point: 2200 oC, 2673 K Shells: 2,8,18,3 Electron configuration: [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1 Density @ 20oC: 5.907 g/cm3 Atomic volume: 11.8 cm3/mol Structure: orthorhombic

 Gallium, at. wt 69.717, has two stable isotopes,69Ga 60.4%, and 71Ga 39.6%, and twelve unstable isotopes, from mass 63 through 76. The radius of the atom is 0.138 nm, and of the ions Ga3+ and Ga+, is 0.062 nm and 0.133 nm, respectively. Solid gallium has a metallic, slightly bluish appearance. It is Easily supercooled. However, it expands during solidication by 3.2%, a property shared by only two otherelements, germanium and bismuth. Its crystal structure is unusual for a metal. Gallium crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, and it i s very anisotropic

Some Chemical Properties

Chemically similar to zinc less reactive than Aluminum. Oxidized in air and pure oxygen at 1000 degree Celsius. At ambient tempera-ture, concentrated inorganic acids and gallium react slowly. Oxidizing agents,such as aqua regia, H2SO4, H2O2, and perchloric acid, attack gallium effectively,especially when hot. The halogens readily react with gallium upon heating, as dosulfur, selenium, tellurium, phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony. Nitrogen reactswith gallium only under particular conditions, whereas boron seems not to do so.

Extraction
Carbonation Electrolysis Chemical Reduction LiquidLiquid Extraction. Ion-Exchange Resins.

Indium
Discovered 1863 by Ferdinand Reich. Classification:Indium is an other metal Color:silvery-whiteAtomic weight:114.82 State:solid Melting point:156.6 oC, 429.8 K Boiling point:2070 oC, 2343 K

Continue
Shells:2,8,18,18,3 Electron configuration:[Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p1 Density @ 20oC:7.31 g/cm3 Atomic volume:15.7 cm3/mol Structure: tetragonal, distorted fcc structure Hardness:1.2 mohs

APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS

Harmful effects: Indium is considered to be of low toxicity. Characteristics: Indium is a very soft, silvery-white lustrous metal. Indium liquid clings to or wets glass and similar surfaces. Like gallium, indium remains in a liquid state over a wide range of temperatures. When present in compounds, indium exists mostly in the oxidation state III. When heated above its melting point, it burns with a violet flame to the yellow sesquioxide (In2O3)

 When Indium is added Gallium nitride in LEDs, a violet blue color is produced.

Thallium
Discovered by Sir William Crookes in 1861. Also Claude-Auguste Lamy independently discovered Thallium in 1862.

Curious Crookes
Thalliums emission spectrum. The previously unseen bright green line in a spectrum like this gave William Crookes the idea that he might have discovered a new element.

Classification: Thallium is an other metal Color: silvery-gray Atomic weight:204.383 State: solid Melting point:304 oC, 577 K Boiling point:1473 oC, 1746 K Shells:2,8,18,32,18,3 Electron configuration:[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p1 Density @ 20oC:11.85 g/cm3 Atomic volume:17.2 cm3/mol Structure:hcp: hexagonal close pkd Hardness:1.2 moh

 Abundance earths crust: 850 parts per billion by weight, 80 parts per billion by moles Abundance solar system: 1 part per billion by weight, 10 parts per trillion by moles Source: The main minerals containing thallium are crookesite (TlCu7Se4), hutchinsonite (TlPbAs5S9), and lorandite (TlAsS2). Thallium also occurs in manganese nodules on the ocean floor. Commercially, the metal is recovered as a by-product of sulfuric acid production as thallium is also present in pyrites (iron sulfide). Thallium can also be obtained from the smelting of lead and zinc ores.

Toxicity
Thallium enters the environment primarily from coal-burning and smelting, in which it is a trace contaminant of the raw materials. It stays in the air, water, and soil for a long time and is not broken down. Some thallium compounds are removed from the atmosphere in rain and snow. It's absorbed by plants and enters the food chain. It builds up in fish and shellfish.

Studies in humans and animals indicate that thallium compounds are readily absorbed through various routes of exposure, but few studies provide quantitative measures of absorption. Mulkey and Oehme (1993) reported that water soluble salts are rapidly and completely absorbed from the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or skin but did not provide data or cite references to support this conclusion. Thallium ions have been detected in the urine of exposed humans and animals, which implies absorption from environmental sources.

How are we exposed to Tl

Eating food contaminated with thallium may be a major source of exposure for most people. Breathing workplace air in industries that use thallium. Smoking cigarettes. Living near hazardous waste sites containing thallium (may result in higher than normal exposures). Touching or, for children, eating soil contaminated with thallium. Breathing low levels in air and water.

How does it Tl affect health?

Affects our Nervous System Numbness of finger and toes Affect our lungs, kidney, liver, heart Causes Death (Over exposure)

Ununtrium

Ununtrium
The first report of ununtrium was in August 2003 when it was identified as a decay product of ununpentium. These results were published on February 1, 2004, by a team composed of Russian scientists at Dubna(Joint Institute for Nuclear Research), and American scientists at theLawrence Livermore National Laboratory. On July 23, 2004, a team of Japanese scientists at RIKEN detected a single atom of 278Uut using the cold fusion reaction between bismuth-209 and zinc-70. They published their results on September 28, 2004.

Synthesis of Uut

decay product of ununpentium, Russian and American Scientists. February 1, 2004.

atom of 278Uut using the cold fusion reaction between bismuth-209 and zinc-70. (Japanese scientists, 28 September 2004.

Thank you Feel the Chemistry