Telluric acid

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Telluric acid
Identifiers
CAS number 7803-68-1 YesY
PubChem 61609
ChemSpider 55517 YesY
ChEBI CHEBI:30463 YesY
Jmol-3D images Image 1
Properties
Molecular formula H6O6Te
Molar mass 229.64 g/mol
Appearance White monoclinic crystals
Density 3.07 g/cm3
Melting point

136°C (409.15 K)

Solubility in water 50.1 g/100 ml at 30°C[1]
Acidity (pKa) 7.68, 11.0 at 18°C[1]
Structure
Molecular shape octahedral
Dipole moment 0 D
Hazards
Main hazards corrosive
Related compounds
Other anions hydrotelluric acid
tellurous acid
hydrogen telluride
Related compounds Teflic acid,
Sulfuric acid
Selenic acid
 YesY (verify) (what is: YesY/N?)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Telluric acid is a chemical compound with the formula Te(OH)6. It is a white solid made up of octahedral Te(OH)6 molecules which persist in aqueous solution.[2] There are two forms, rhombohedral and monoclinic, and both contain octahedral Te(OH)6 molecules.[3] Telluric acid is a weak acid which is dibasic, forming tellurate salts with strong bases and hydrogen tellurate salts with weaker bases or upon hydrolysis of tellurates in water.[3][4]

Contents

Preparation [edit]

Telluric acid is formed by the oxidation of tellurium or tellurium dioxide with a powerful oxidising agent such as hydrogen peroxide, chromium trioxide or sodium peroxide.[3]

TeO2 + H2O2 + 2H2O → Te(OH)6

Crystallisation of telluric acid solutions below 10°C gives Te(OH)6.4H2O.[2] It is oxidizing, as shown by the electrode potential for the reaction below, although it is kinetically slow in its oxidations.[3]

H6TeO6 + 2H+ + 2e TeO2 + 4H2O Eo = +1.02 V

Chlorine, by comparison, is +1.36V and selenious acid is +0.74V in oxidizing conditions.

Properties and reactions [edit]

The anhydrous acid is stable in air at 100°C but above this it dehydrates to form polymetatelluric acid, a white hygroscopic powder (approximate composition (H2TeO4)10), and allotelluric acid, an acid syrup of unknown structure (approximate composition (H2TeO4)3(H2O)4).[2]
Typical salts of the acid contains the anions [Te(O)(OH)5] and [Te(O)2(OH)4]2–. The presence of the tellurate ion TeO42– has been confirmed in the solid state structure of Rb6[TeO5][TeO4].[5] Strong heating at over 300°C produces the α- crystalline modification of tellurium trioxide, α-TeO3. [4] Reaction with diazomethane gives the hexamethyl ester, Te(OMe)6.[2]

Telluric acid and its salts mostly contain hexacoordinate tellurium.[3] This is true even for salts such as magnesium tellurate, MgTeO4, which is isostructural with magnesium molybdate and contains TeO6 octahedra.[3]

Other forms of telluric acid [edit]

Metatelluric acid, H2TeO4, the tellurium analogue of sulfuric acid, H2SO4, is unknown. Allotelluric acid of approximate composition H2TeO4)3(H2O)4, is not well characterised and may be a mixture of Te(OH)6 and (H2TeO4)n.[2]

Other tellurium acids [edit]

Tellurous acid (H2TeO3), containing tellurium in its +4 oxidation state, is known but not well characterised. Hydrogen telluride is an unstable gas that forms hydrotelluric acid upon addition to water.

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b Lide, David R. (1998), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87 ed.), Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-0594-2 
  2. ^ a b c d e Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth–Heinemann. ISBN 0080379419. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f Cotton, F. Albert; Wilkinson, Geoffrey; Murillo, Carlos A.; Bochmann, Manfred (1999), Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (6th ed.), New York: Wiley-Interscience, ISBN 0-471-19957-5 
  4. ^ a b Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. "Inorganic Chemistry" Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
  5. ^ Catherine E. Housecroft; Alan G. Sharpe (2008). "Chapter 16: The group 16 elements". Inorganic Chemistry, 3rd Edition. Pearson. p. 526. ISBN 978-0-13-175553-6.