| Potassium hydride | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | [] |
| PubChem | |
| EC number | |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | KH |
| Molar mass | 40.1062 g/mol |
| Appearance | colourless crystals |
| Density | 1.47 g/cm3 |
| Boiling point |
316 °C |
| Structure | |
| Crystal structure | cubic, cF8 |
| Space group | Fm3m, No. 225 |
| Related compounds | |
| Other cations | Lithium hydride Sodium hydride Rubidium hydride Caesium hydride |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references |
|
Potassium hydride, KH, is a chemical compound of potassium and hydrogen. It is a hydride of potassium. It reacts with water according to the reaction:
- KH + H2O → KOH + H2
The reaction is so vigorous that often the hydrogen gas produced will, due to the heat of the reaction, ignite with the oxygen in the air, producing a lilac flame from the presence of potassium ions in the hydrogen fire. Potassium hydride is also pyrophoric, and requires careful handling. For this reason it is sold commercially as a slurry in mineral oil. In one study the compound is dispersed in paraffin to allow for better dispensing [1]
Potassium hydride is a powerful base (more reactive than sodium hydride), which can be used to deprotonate organic molecules. Potassium hydride is also very thermally conductive[citation needed].
See also
References
- ^ Potassium Hydride in Paraffin: A Useful Base for Organic Synthesis Douglass F. Taber and Christopher G. Nelson J. Org. Chem.; 2006; 71(23) pp 8973 - 8974; (Note) doi:10.1021/jo061420v
|
|||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
