Basic Beryllium Acetate and Propionate

Submitted by Therald Moeller, Alvin J. Cohen, and Elliot Marvell  

The basic acetate and propionate of beryllium are prepared most conveniently from a reactive form of the basic carbonate. The composition and the reactivity of the starting material are variable, and it may therefore be necessary to prepare the so-called basic carbonate from some convenient source of beryllium, especially if the available carbonate dissolves with difficulty in either hot acetic or propionic acid. For properties of these compounds see page 7. 

Forty grams of basic beryllium carbonate is stirred with 80 ml. of glacial acetic acid on the hot plate until carbon 

Twenty-five grams of basic beryllium carbonate is treated with 125 ml. of propionic acid in a 400-ml. beaker. When evolution of carbon dioxide has ceased, the solution is transferred to a porcelain evaporating dish and evaporated on a 

Several complementary pairs of activators have been used, but the most effective are those consisting of cerium-samarium and europium-samarium, the samarium ions furnishing the trapping centers. Phosphors of this type are best prepared from the pure alkaline earth sulfides or selenides by introducing the activators wdth the aid of a flux such as an alkaline earth halide or lithium fluoride. 

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