Ammonium hexafluorotitanate explained

Ammonium hexafluorotitanate is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula (NH4)2[TiF<sub>6</sub>]. A colorless salt, the compound consists of ammonium ions and the hexafluorotitanate dianion. It is encountered in the extraction of titanium from its principal ore ilmenite: the ore is treated with excess ammonium fluoride:[1]

After removal of iron impurities, the titanium is recovered as a hydrated titanium dioxide by treatment of the aqueous extract of the hexafluoride with ammonia:

Structure

Many salts of hexafluorotitanate have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. In the lattice [TiF<sub>6</sub>]2- octahedra interact with the ammonium cations by hydrogen bonds.[2]

References

  1. Book: 10.1002/9780470132364.ch22. Extraction of Titanium(IV) Oxide from Ilmenite . 1957 . Bichowsky . Foord Von . Inorganic Syntheses . 79–82 . 9780470132364. V .
  2. 10.1107/S0567740882007195. Hydrogen bonding in Diammonium Hexafluorotitanate . 1982 . Tun . Z. . Brown . I. D. . Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry . 38 . 6 . 1792–1794 . 1982AcCrB..38.1792T .