• Images
• Videos
• Documents
• Books
• Articles

Structure

Polonium dichloride appears to crystallise with an orthorhombic unit cell in either the P222, Pmm2 or Pmmm space group, although this is likely a pseudo-cell. Alternatively, the true space group may be monoclinic or triclinic, with one or more cell angles close to 90°.¹ Assuming the space group is P222, the structure exhibits distorted cubic coordination of Po as {PoCl8} and distorted square planar coordination of Cl as {ClPo4}.

Preparation

PoCl2 can be obtained either by halogenation of polonium metal or by dehalogenation of polonium tetrachloride, PoCl4.² Methods for dehalogenating PoCl4 include thermal decomposition at 300 °C, reduction of cold, slightly moist PoCl4 by sulfur dioxide; and heating PoCl4 in a stream of carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulfide at 150 °C.³

Reactions

PoCl2 dissolves in dilute hydrochloric acid to give a pink solution, which autoxidises to Po(IV). PoCl2 is rapidly oxidised by hydrogen peroxide or chlorine water. Addition of potassium hydroxide to the pink solution results in a dark brown precipitate – possibly hydrated PoO or Po(OH)2 – which is rapidly oxidised to Po(IV). With dilute nitric acid, PoCl2 forms a dark red solution followed by a flaky white precipitate of unknown composition.⁴

See also

• Polonium tetrachloride

References

1. Bagnall, K. W.; d'Eye, R. W. M.; Freeman, J. H. (1955). "The polonium halides. Part I. Polonium chlorides". Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed): 2320. doi:10.1039/JR9550002320. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

2. Holleman, Arnold Frederik; Wiberg, Egon (2001), Wiberg, Nils (ed.), Inorganic Chemistry, translated by Eagleson, Mary; Brewer, William, San Diego/Berlin: Academic Press/De Gruyter, p. 594, ISBN 0-12-352651-5 0-12-352651-5 ↩

3. Bagnall, K. W.; d'Eye, R. W. M.; Freeman, J. H. (1955). "The polonium halides. Part I. Polonium chlorides". Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed): 2320. doi:10.1039/JR9550002320. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

4. Bagnall, K. W.; d'Eye, R. W. M.; Freeman, J. H. (1955). "The polonium halides. Part I. Polonium chlorides". Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed): 2320. doi:10.1039/JR9550002320. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩