Holmium(III) fluoride explained

Holmium(III) fluoride is an inorganic compound with a chemical formula of HoF₃.

Preparation

Holmium(III) fluoride can be produced by reacting holmium oxide and ammonium fluoride, then crystallising it from the ammonium salt formed in solution:^[1]

It can also be prepared by directly reacting holmium with fluorine:^[2]

Properties

Holmium(III) fluoride is a yellowish powder that is insoluble in water. It has an orthorhombic crystal system (corresponding to β-YF₃^[3]) with the space group Pnma (space group no. 62).^[4] However, there is also a trigonal low-temperature form of the lanthanum(III) fluoride type.

Notes and References

1. Book: Janiak . Christoph . Riedel Moderne Anorganische Chemie . Meyer . Hans-Jürgen . Gudat . Dietrich . Alsfasser . Ralf . 2012-01-27 . Walter de Gruyter . 978-3-11-024901-9 . de.
2. Web site: Chemical reactions of Holmium. Webelements. 2009-06-06.
3. Book: Sobolev, Boris P. . The rare earth trifluorides Introduction to materials science of multicomponent metal fluoride crystals . 2001 . Institut d'Estudis Catalans . 978-84-7283-610-5 . Arxius de les seccions . Barcelona.
4. Book: Ans . Jean d' . Taschenbuch für Chemiker und Physiker . Lax . Ellen . 1998 . Springer . 978-3-540-60035-0 . de.