Subhalide

In chemistry, subhalide usually refers to inorganic compounds that have a low ratio of halide to metal, made possible by metal–metal bonding (or element–element bonding for nonmetals), sometimes extensive. Many compounds meet this definition.

Examples

The normal halide of boron is BF₃. Boron forms many subhalides: several B₂X₄, including B₂F₄; also BF. Aluminium forms a variety of subhalides. For gallium, adducts of Ga₂Cl₄ are known. Phosphorus subhalides include P₂I₄, P₄Cl₂, and P₇Cl₃ (structurally related to P₇³⁻). For bismuth, the compound originally described as bismuth monochloride was later shown to consist of Bi₉⁵⁺ clusters and chloride anions.^[1] There are many tellurium subhalides, including Te₃Cl₂, Te₂X (X = Cl, Br, I), and two forms of TeI.^[2]

References

^ Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-08-037941-8.
^ Zhengtao Xu "Recent Developments in Binary Halogen–Chalcogen Compounds, Polyanions and Polycations" in Handbook of Chalcogen Chemistry: New Perspectives in Sulfur, Selenium and Tellurium, Francesco Devillanova, Editor, 2006, RSC. pp. 381-416. Royal Society doi:10.1039/9781847557575-00455

[1] Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-08-037941-8.

[Xu-2] Zhengtao Xu "Recent Developments in Binary Halogen–Chalcogen Compounds, Polyanions and Polycations" in Handbook of Chalcogen Chemistry: New Perspectives in Sulfur, Selenium and Tellurium, Francesco Devillanova, Editor, 2006, RSC. pp. 381-416. Royal Society doi:10.1039/9781847557575-00455

[1]

[2]