Alkaline earth phases

We now restrict the study to the coordination types found in the binary alkaline earth phases. The problem is limited but still significant as nearly 100 structure types occurring in 350 phases are involved. 

Simplest examples are prepared by the cyclic oligomerization of ethylene oxide. They act as complexing agents which solubilize alkali metal ions in non-polar solvents, complex alkaline earth cations, transition metal cations and ammonium cations, e.g. 12—crown —4 is specific for the lithium cation. Used in phase-transfer chemistry. ... 

Blades A T, Jayaweera P, Ikonomou M G and Kebarle P 1990 Studies of alkaline earth and transition metal M " gas phase ion chemistry J. Chem. Phys. 92 5900... 

Processes rendered obsolete by the propylene ammoxidation process (51) include the ethylene cyanohydrin process (52—54) practiced commercially by American Cyanamid and Union Carbide in the United States and by I. G. Farben in Germany. The process involved the production of ethylene cyanohydrin by the base-cataly2ed addition of HCN to ethylene oxide in the liquid phase at about 60°C. A typical base catalyst used in this step was diethylamine. This was followed by liquid-phase or vapor-phase dehydration of the cyanohydrin. The Hquid-phase dehydration was performed at about 200°C using alkah metal or alkaline earth metal salts of organic acids, primarily formates and magnesium carbonate. Vapor-phase dehydration was accomphshed over alumina at about 250°C. 

Orthophosphate salts are generally prepared by the partial or total neutralization of orthophosphoric acid. Phase equiUbrium diagrams are particularly usehil in identifying conditions for the preparation of particular phosphate salts. The solution properties of orthophosphate salts of monovalent cations are distincdy different from those of the polyvalent cations, the latter exhibiting incongment solubiUty in most cases. The commercial phosphates include alkah metal, alkaline-earth, heavy metal, mixed metal, and ammonium salts of phosphoric acid. Sodium phosphates are the most important, followed by calcium, ammonium, and potassium salts. 

Much work has been done on the structure of the metal alkoxides (49). The simple alkaU alkoxides have an ionic lattice and a layer stmcture, but alkaline earth alkoxides show more covalent character. The aluminum alkoxides have been thoroughly studied and there is no doubt as to their covalent nature the lower alkoxides are associated, even in solution and in the vapor phase. The degree of association depends on the bulkiness of the alkoxy group and can range from 2 to 4, eg, the freshly distilled isopropylate is trimeric (4) ... 

The acidic character of siUca is shown by its reaction with a large number of basic oxides to form siUcates. The phase relations of numerous oxide systems involving siUca have been summarized (23). Reactions of siUca at elevated temperatures with alkaU and alkaline-earth carbonates result in the displacement of the more volatile acid, CO2, and the formation of the corresponding siUcates. Similar reactions occur with a number of nitrates and sulfates. Sihca at high temperature in the presence of sulfides gives thiosiUcates or siUcon disulfide, SiS2. 

Dichloroethane is produced by the vapor- (28) or Hquid-phase chlorination of ethylene. Most Hquid-phase processes use small amounts of ferric chloride as the catalyst. Other catalysts claimed in the patent Hterature include aluminum chloride, antimony pentachloride, and cupric chloride and an ammonium, alkaU, or alkaline-earth tetrachloroferrate (29). The chlorination is carried out at 40—50°C with 5% air or other free-radical inhibitors (30) added to prevent substitution chlorination of the product. Selectivities under these conditions are nearly stoichiometric to the desired product. The exothermic heat of reaction vapori2es the 1,2-dichloroethane product, which is purified by distillation. 

The proportion of hydrochloric acid in the mobile phase was not to exceed 20%, so that complex formation did not occur and zone structure was not adversely affected. An excess of accompanying alkaline earth metal ions did not interfere with the separation but alkali metal cations did. The hthium cation fluoresced blue and lay at the same height as the magnesium cation, ammonium ions interfered with the calcium zone. 

By heating the metal with appropriate oxides or carbonates of alkali or alkaline earth metals, a number of mixed oxides of Ru and Os have been made. They include NasOs Og, LifiOs Og and the ruthenites , M Ru 03, in all of which the metal is situated in octahedral sites of an oxide lattice. Ru (octahedral) has now also been established by Ru Mdssbauer spectroscopy as a common stable oxidation state in mixed oxides such as Na3Ru 04, Na4Ru2 07, and the ordered perovskite-type phases M Ln Ru Og. 

The interpretation proposed for the LnB phases can be extended to alkaline-earth and potassium hexaborides. These dissociate through metal evaporation, yielding a j3-rhombohedral boron residue at the mp for CaB , SrB5 and BaB , and at 750°C for KBft. 

Of course, the chemistry of zirconium cluster phases has been well described and reviewed in the literature [1-4]. Apart from a very few examples, mostly in the binary halides, almost all reduced zirconium halides contain octahedra of zirconium atoms centred on an interstitial atom Z. Several possible and experimentally realized Z include H, Be-N, K, Al-P, and the transition metals Mn-Ni. All these compounds have the general formula Ax"[(Zr6Z)Xi2X[J], with a " = alkali or alkaline earth metal cation, X=C1 Br or I, X =inner edge-bridging halide [5], X =outer exo-bonded halide, and 0[Pg.61]

In the past, there was quite a lot of confusion regarding the true nature of some alkaline-earth compounds. Several boride, nitride, and carbide compounds, as well as some mixed species, especially of calcium, were in doubt or at least subject to some ongoing discussion. For example, the phase relationships and structures of CaC2 phases I-IV were not well understood. The three nitride... 

Ca3(BN2)2 is readily formed when (distilled) calcium metal is melted in the presence of (layer-type) boron nitride. This reaction provides some insight on how alkaline-earth metals like calcium may act as a catalyst in the phase transformation of layered a-BN into its cubic modification. Instead of metals, nowadays alkaline-earth (Ca, Sr, Ba) nitridoborates can be used as a flux catalyst in high-pressure and high-temperature transformation reactions to produce cubic boron nitride [15]. 

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