Californium(III) bromide explained

Californium(III) bromide is an inorganic compound, a salt with a chemical formula CfBr₃. Like in californium oxide (Cf₂O₃) and other californium halides, including californium(III) fluoride (CfF₃), californium(III) chloride, and californium(III) iodide (CfI₃), the californium atom has an oxidation state of +3.

Properties

Californium(III) bromide is shown to crystallize in both the AlCl₃ and FeCl₃ type structures. In the former structure, the californium ion is six coordinated and the three independent Cf-Br bond lengths are 279.5±0.9 pm, 282.7±1.1 pm, and 282.8±0.8 pm.^[1]

Californium(III) bromide partially decomposes into californium(II) bromide under high temperature.^[2]

2 CfBr3 ->[\Delta T] 2 CfBr2 + Br2

In the radioactive decay of berkelium-249 to californium-249, the oxidation number and crystal structure are preserved. The six-coordinate berkelium(III) bromide (AlCl₃-type monoclinic structure) decays to produce a six-coordinate californium(III) bromide, whereas an eight-coordinate berkelium(III) bromide (PuBr₃-type, orthorhombic structure) produces an eight-coordinate californium(III) bromide.^[3]

See also

• Californium
• Californium compounds

Notes and References

1. Burns. John H.. Peterson. J.R.. Stevenson. J.N.. March 1975. Crystallographic studies of some transuranic trihalides: ²³⁹PuCl₃, ²⁴⁴CmBr₃, ²⁴⁹BkBr₃ and ²⁴⁹CfBr₃. Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry. 37. 3. 743–749. 10.1016/0022-1902(75)80532-X.
2. Young. J. P.. Vander Sluis. Kenneth L.. Werner. G. K.. Peterson. J. R.. Noé. M.. December 1975. High temperature spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction studies of californium tribromide: Proof of thermal reduction to californium(II). Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry. 37. 12. 2497–2501. 10.1016/0022-1902(75)80878-5.
3. Young. J. P.. Haire. R. G.. Peterson. J. R.. Ensor. D. D.. Fellows. R. L.. 1980-08-01. Chemical consequences of radioactive decay. 1. Study of californium-249 ingrowth into crystalline berkelium-249 tribromide: a new crystalline phase of californium tribromide. Inorganic Chemistry. 19. 8. 2209–2212. 10.1021/ic50210a003.