Neptunium tetrachloride
chemical compound
Neptunium tetrachloride is a binary inorganic compound of neptunium metal and chlorine with the chemical formula NpCl4.
Synthesis
The compound can be prepared by:
the reaction of neptunium nitride with HCl:
2 NpN + 8 HCl → N2 + 4 H2 + 2 NpCl4
the reaction of neptunium sesquisulfide with HCl:
Np2S3 + 8 HCl → 2 NpCl4 + 3 H2S + H2
the reaction of carbon tetrachloride with neptunium(IV) oxide (NpO2). Neptunium tetrachloride is formed as a yellow sublimate.
Other reactions are also used.
Physical properties
NpCl4 crystallizes in tetragonal crystal system of space group I4/amd.
Chemical properties
The compound reacts with ammonia to produce neptunium trichloride:
6 NpCl4 + 2 NH3 → 6 NpCl3 + 6 HCl + N2
Neptunium tetrachloride can be reduced to neptunium trichloride by hydrogen at 450 °C.
2 NpCl4 + H2 → 2 NpCl3 + 2HCl
NpCl4 can form Lewis base adducts with non-protic solvents such as 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), pyridine and acetonitrile. These compounds are more accessible in practice than the binary NpCl4 salt. Solvates of the general formula NpCl4Lx may thus be isolated. One starting material for metal-organic neptunium chemistry is NpCl4(DME)2, which can be isolated as a pink powder.
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