Copper(I) fluoride explained

Copper(I) fluoride or cuprous fluoride is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula CuF. Its existence is uncertain. It was reported in 1933 to have a sphalerite-type crystal structure.^[1] Modern textbooks state that CuF is not known, since fluorine is so electronegative that it will always oxidise copper to its +2 oxidation state. Complexes of CuF such as [(Ph₃P)₃CuF] are, however, known and well characterised.^[2]

Synthesis and reactivity

Unlike other copper(I) halides like copper(I) chloride, copper(I) fluoride tends to disproportionate into copper(II) fluoride and copper in a one-to-one ratio at ambient conditions, unless it is stabilised through complexation as in the example of [Cu(N₂)F].^[3]

2CuF → Cu + CuF₂

See also

• Copper(II) fluoride, the other simple fluoride of copper

Notes and References

1. . 210 . 3 . 269 - 272 . 1933 . Kristallstrukturen von Fluoriden. II. HgF, HgF₂, CuF und CuF₂ . F. . Ebert . H. . Woitinek . 10.1002/zaac.19332100307 .
2. . 52 . 1981 . 153–159 . Coordination Stabilised Copper(I) Fluoride. Crystal and Molecular Structure of Fluorotris(triphenylphosphine)copper(I)·Ethanol (1/2), Cu(PPh₃)₃F·2EtOH . D. J. . Gulliver . W. . Levason . M. . Webster . 10.1016/S0020-1693(00)88590-4 .
3. Matthews, Steven L. . Poleshchuk, Oleg Kh . Walker, Nicholas R. . Legon, Anthony C. . N2-Cu-F: A Complex of Dinitrogen and Cuprous Fluoride Characterized by Rotational Spectroscopy. Angewandte Chemie. 2006-09-25. 118. 38. 6489–6491. 10.1002/ange.200601988. Francis. Simon G.. 16937427 .