Beryllium with water, reaction

Diethylberyllium ignites spontaneously in air, producing dense white fumes of beryllium oxide. Ether solution of this compound is also highly flammable, igniting spontaneously in air. It reacts explosively with water. Reactions with lower alcohols, halogens, halogenated hydrocarbons, ammonia, and oxidizers may proceed to explosive violence. 

Chemical Reactivity - Reactivity with Water Reacts vigorously as an exothermic reaction. Forms beryllium oxide and hydrochloric acid solution Reactivity with Common Materials Corrodes most metals in the presence of moisture. Flammable and explosive hydrogen gas may collect in confined spaces Stability During Transport Stable Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics Flush with water and rinse with dilute solution of sodium bicarbonate or soda ash Polymerization Not pertinent Inhibitor of Polymerization Not pertinent. 

Beryllium reacts with fused alkali halides releasing the alkali metal until an equilibrium is established. It does not react with fused halides of the alkaline-earth metals to release the alkaline-earth metal. Water-insoluble fluoroberyllates, however, are formed in a fused-salt system whenever barium or calcium fluoride is present. Beryllium reduces halides of aluminum and heavier elements. Alkaline-earth metals can be used effectively to reduce beryllium from its halides, but the use of alkaline-earths other than magnesium [7439-95 4] is economically unattractive because of the formation of water-insoluble fluoroberyllates. Formation of these fluorides precludes efficient recovery of the unreduced beryllium from the reaction products in subsequent processing operations. 

With the exception of beryllium, the alkaline earth elements react with water to yield metal hydroxides, M(OH)2. Magnesium undergoes reaction only at temperatures above 100°C calcium and strontium react slowly with liquid water at room temperature. Only barium reacts vigorously. 

The reactions of Ca, Sr, and Ba metals with water are less violent than those of the alkali metals beryllium and magnesium metals may survive... 

Calcium, strontium, and barium react vigorously at 25°C. The less easily oxidized beryllium and magnesium show no observable reaction with water at 25°C, although magnesium reacts with boiling water. Table 18.7 summarizes various properties, sources, and preparations of the alkaline earth metals. 

SAFETY PROFILE Confirmed human carcinogen. Explosive reaction on contact with water. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of BeO. See also BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS. 

The trend to increasing reactivity with increasing size of atom for the alkaline earth metals is illustrated by the reaction of the elements with water, as shown in Figure 8.7. Beryllium does not react with water. Magnesium reacts with hot water. But calcium reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2], as shown by this equation. 

No reaction is visible when beryllium is placed in water, but bubbles of hydrogen are produced by the reaction of calcium with water. Strontium, barium, and radium react with water with increasing vigor. 

Beryllium reacts much less readily with water—even boiling water—than does its neighboring alkali metal, lithium. At low temperatures, the surface of beryllium metal forms a protective oxide coating. Beryllium dissolves in both acids and bases. Both reactions result in the evolution of hydrogen gas. In strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid, the following reaction takes place ... 

---