Arsenic tribromide
Encyclopedia
Arsenic tribromide is the chemical compound
with the formula As
Br3
. This pyramidal molecule is the only known binary
arsenic bromide. It is formed by the direct reaction of bromine and arsenic. AsBr3 is noteworthy for its very high refractive index
of approximately 2.3. It also has a very high diamagnetic susceptibility
.
Organoarsenic bromides, (CH3)2AsBr and (CH3)AsBr2 are formed efficiently by the copper-catalyzed reaction of methyl bromide with hot arsenic metal. This synthesis is similar to the direct process used for the synthesis of methyl chlorosilane
s.
Arsenic tribromide is toxic, as are all arsenic compounds.
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
with the formula As
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
Br3
Bromine
Bromine ") is a chemical element with the symbol Br, an atomic number of 35, and an atomic mass of 79.904. It is in the halogen element group. The element was isolated independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig and Antoine Jerome Balard, in 1825–1826...
. This pyramidal molecule is the only known binary
Binary compound
A binary compound is a chemical compound that contains exactly two different elements. Examples of binary ionic compounds include calcium chloride , sodium fluoride , and magnesium oxide , whilst examples of binary covalent compounds include water , carbon monoxide , and sulfur hexafluoride...
arsenic bromide. It is formed by the direct reaction of bromine and arsenic. AsBr3 is noteworthy for its very high refractive index
Refractive index
In optics the refractive index or index of refraction of a substance or medium is a measure of the speed of light in that medium. It is expressed as a ratio of the speed of light in vacuum relative to that in the considered medium....
of approximately 2.3. It also has a very high diamagnetic susceptibility
Diamagnetism
Diamagnetism is the property of an object which causes it to create a magnetic field in opposition to an externally applied magnetic field, thus causing a repulsive effect. Specifically, an external magnetic field alters the orbital velocity of electrons around their nuclei, thus changing the...
.
Bromides of arsenic
AsBr5 is not known, although the corresponding phosphorus compound PBr5 is well characterized. AsBr3 is the parent for a series of hypervalent anionic bromoarsenates including [As2Br8]2−, [As2Br9]3−, and [As3Br12]3−.Organoarsenic bromides, (CH3)2AsBr and (CH3)AsBr2 are formed efficiently by the copper-catalyzed reaction of methyl bromide with hot arsenic metal. This synthesis is similar to the direct process used for the synthesis of methyl chlorosilane
Chlorosilane
Chlorosilanes are a group of reactive, chlorine-containing chemical compounds, related to silane and used in many chemical processes. Each such chemical has at least one silicon-chlorine bond.-Synthesis:...
s.
Arsenic tribromide is toxic, as are all arsenic compounds.