Bromine trifluoride has the formula BrF3 and is an interhalogen. It’s a pale yellow fluid with a terrible smell. Sulfuric acid dissolves it, although it interacts severely with water and organic molecules. It’s an ionizing inorganic solvent and a strong fluorinating agent. It’s used to make uranium hexafluoride (UF6), which is utilized in nuclear fuel processing and reprocessing.
Synthesis
Bromine Trifluoride was originally reported in 1906 by Paul Lebeau, who created it by reacting bromine with fluorine at 20 degrees Celsius.
2 BrF3 = Br2 + 3 F2
Bromine trifluoride is formed by disproportioning bromine monofluoride
BrF3 + Br2 = 3 BrF
Structure
Like ClF3 and IF3, the BrF3 molecule is T-shaped and planar.The bromine centre is given two electron pairs in the VSEPR formulation. Each axial fluorine is 1.81 atomic distance from bromine and 1.72 atomic distance from equatorial fluorine.
The angle formed by an axial fluorine and an equatorial fluorine is somewhat less than 90°; the observed 86.2° angle is owing to the electron pairs’ repulsion being stronger than that of the Br-F bonds.
Characteristics
Following are some characteristics of Bromine trifluoride
Chemical Characteristics
BrF3 interacts with water quickly and exothermically to produce hydrobromic acid and hydrofluoric acid:
3HF + HBr + O2 = BrF3 + 2H2O
BrF3 is a fluorinating agent, however it has a lower reactivity than ClF3.
It combines with acetonitrile at -196 °C to form 1, 1, 1-trifluoroethane.
CH3CF3 + 1/2 Br2 + 1/2 N2 + BrF3 + CH3CN
Because of auto ionization, the liquid is conducting:
BrF3 + BrF2+ + BrF4 = 2 BrF3 + BrF2+ + BrF4
Fluoride salts quickly dissolve in BrF3 and generate tetrafluorobromate:
KBrF4 = KF + BrF3
It acts as a fluoride donor in the following way:
BrF2+ BrF3 + [SbF5] [SbF6−]
Physical Characteristics
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- Melting Point is 8.77 °C (47.8 °F)
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- At 68°F, the density is 2.81, and at 25°C, 2.8030 g/cu cm
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- At 25°C, the vapor pressure is 2.8030 g/cu cm.
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- It produces hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen bromide when it decomposes in a fire.
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- Organic compounds have explosive or violent reaction properties.
Hazards:
The following are some hazards of bromine trifluoride that are given below.
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- Bromine Trifluoride is a highly reactive substance that can cause massive irritation and burns to the eyes and skin, as well as blindness.
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- When inhaled, bromine trifluoride can cause irritation in the respiratory tract when inhaled.
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- Bromine Trifluoride can lead to irritation in the nose and throat when inhaled.
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- Bromine trifluoride can damage the lungs and cause coughing and/or breathing difficulty when inhaled.
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- Higher levels of exposure might result in pulmonary congestion, a medical emergency characterised by acute breathlessness.
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- Bromine and fluorine can accumulate in the body after frequent exposure.
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- Bromine trifluoride is a dangerous, hazardous chemical that is very reactive.
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- When exposed to fire, it produces very poisonous and unpleasant vapors.
Identification
Bromine trifluoride is a flammable liquid that is colorless to gray-yellow in shade and has a pungent smell. When it comes into contact with water, it reacts strongly. It’s a fluorinating agent as well as an electrolytic solvent.
Limitation Of Workplace Exposure
Bromine has the following exposure limits:
The maximum acceptable exposure limit (PEL) for airborne contaminants, according to OSHA, is 0.1 ppm averaged over an 8-hour work shift.
According to NIOSH, the recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.1 ppm averaged during a 10-hour work shift and 0.3 ppm during each 15-minute work session.
The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.1 ppm averaged over an 8-hour work shift and 0.2 ppm as a STEL, according to the American Conference on Governmental Industrial Hygiene (short term exposure limit).
It’s important to remember that bromine trifluoride can be absorbed via the skin, increasing your exposure.
| Exposure Period | AEGL-1 | AEGL-2 | AEGL-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 0.12 ppm | 8.1 ppm | 84 ppm |
| 30 minutes | 0.12 ppm | 3.5 ppm | 36 ppm |
| 60 minutes | 0.12 ppm | 2 ppm | 21 ppm |
| 4 hours | 0.12 ppm | 0.7 ppm | 7.3 ppm |
| 8 hours | 0.12 ppm | 0.41 ppm | 7.3 ppm |
Information of Health Risk
Severe Health Consequences
The following acute (short-term) health consequences may arise as a result of bromine trifluoride exposure:
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Touch can irritate and damage the eyes, resulting in irreversible blindness.
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Touch can irritate and damage the eyes, resulting in irreversible blindness.
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Bromine Trifluoride may irritate the nasal passages when breathed in.
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Bromine Trifluoride, when inhaled, can cause breathing problems by causing cough and/or breathing difficulty.
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Higher levels of exposure can lead to pulmonary edema, a medical emergency characterised by acute shortness of breath.
Health Consequences Over Time
After being exposed to Bromine Trifluoride, the following chronic (long-term) medical problems can arise at any moment and can endure for months or years:
According to the information that is available to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, bromine trifluoride has not been evaluated for its capacity to cause cancer in animals.
According to the information currently available to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, bromine trifluoride has not been studied for its capacity to impact fertility.
Prolonged or repeated contact might irritate the skin, resulting in a rash.
Bromine trifluoride can cause lung irritation. With repeated exposure, bronchitis with cough, phlegm, and/or shortness of breath may develop.
Method Of Reducing Exposure
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Enclose activities and employ local exhaust ventilation at the chemical release location, if practicable. Respirators should be dressed appropriately if no local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is employed.
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Immediately after exposure to bromine trifluoride and at the end of the work shift, wash thoroughly.
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Additionally, in the work area, additionally, provide any information on the health and safety concerns of bromine trifluoride to potentially exposed personnel as part of a continuing education and training effort.
If symptoms arise as a result of overexposure, the following steps may be helpful:
After an acute overexposure, a chest x-ray should be considered, as should blood fluorine and bromine levels.
Control And Practises In The Workplace
ENGINEERING Controls are the most efficient method of limiting exposure unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for the hazardous material. Enclosing activities and/or providing local exhaust ventilation at the chemical release location provides the greatest protection.
It is also possible to decrease exposure by isolating operations. Respirators or other protective devices are less effective than the above-mentioned controls, although they are occasionally required.
Consider the following factors while evaluating the controls in your workplace:
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The danger of the chemical,
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The amount of the material discharged into the workplace,
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The possibility of damaging skin or eye contact. Special precautions should be in place for very dangerous substances or when severe skin, eye, or respiratory exposures are possible.
Furthermore, the following controls are suggested:
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If feasible, pump liquid bromine trifluoride from drums or other storage containers into processing containers automatically.
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Before entering a restricted place containing Bromine Trifluoride, be sure there isn’t an explosive concentration present…
Workplace Practices Can Assist In Reducing Risky Exposures.
The following work habits are suggested:
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Workers who have been exposed to Bromine Trifluoride should change into clean clothing as soon as possible.
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Contaminated work clothes should be cleaned by people who have been briefed about the dangers of Bromine Trifluoride exposure.
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For emergency usage, eye wash fountains should be placed near the work area.
Final AEGLs for Bromine trifluoride (7787-71-5)
Chemical Vendors
1. Norris Pharm- Purchasable Chemical: NSZB-A219061
2. THE BioTek- Purchasable Chemical: bt-289355
3. Parchem- Purchasable Chemical: 60651
4. 3B Scientific (Wuhan) Corp - Purchasable Chemical: 3B6-00430
5. BenchChem- Purchasable Chemical: B1216658
6. Ambinter- Purchasable Chemical: Amb22230356
7. BioChemPartner- Purchasable Chemical: BCP04116
8. Debye Scientific Co., Ltd - Purchasable Chemical: DB-002664
9. Amadis Chemical- Purchasable Chemical: A839258
10. abcr GmbH - Purchasable Chemical: AB103020
11. Smolecule- Purchasable Chemical: S597659
12. Finetech Industry Limited - Purchasable Chemical: FT-0623209
Uses And Manufacturing
Following are uses and manufacturing method of Bromine Trifluoride
Uses
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Solvent is used for ionic processes that must take place in highly oxidizing environments. It is used in organic synthesis and the creation of inorganic fluorides as a powerful fluorinating agent.
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Fluoride evaporator
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Fluorinating agent; used in rocket propellant systems as an oxidant.
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It can be used in organic synthesis and to make uranium fluorides.
Manufacturing Techniques
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At a temperature of 200°C, a reaction between gaseous fluorine and liquid bromine produces a pale straw-colored liquid, which is refined by distillation.
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Bromine fluorination at +80 degrees produces this product.
Emergency Treatment
Make sure you have a clear airway (oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway, if needed). If required, suction. Keep an eye out for indicators of respiratory distress and, if required, aid with ventilation. At a rate of 10 to 15 L/min, provide oxygen using a nonrebreather mask. If you have pulmonary edema, keep an eye on it and treat it if required.
If a patient is unconscious, has significant pulmonary edema, or is in severe respiratory distress, consider orotracheal or nasotracheal intubation for airway management. Techniques such as positive-pressure ventilation using a bag valve mask device may be effective. Consider pulmonary edoema medication.
If this chemical goes into your eyes, take out any contact lenses right away and irrigate for at least 30 minutes without stopping, elevating your upper and lower lids intermittently. Seek medical help as soon as possible.
If this chemical comes into contact with your skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash it with soap and water right away. Seek medical help as soon as possible. If this chemical has been inhaled, remove the person from the situation and start rescue breathing (following universal precautions).
If breathing has stopped and CPR if heartbeat has stopped. Transfer to a medical institution as soon as possible. Immediately seek medical treatment if this chemical has been consumed.
If the sufferer is awake, give him or her water or milk. Do not force yourself to vomit. Due to the possibility of delayed pulmonary edema, medical surveillance is required for 24 to 48 hours after inhaling overexposure.
Summary
When analyzing the controls at your workplace, consider the following factors:
The volume of material discharged into the workplace,
The risk of skin or eye contact being harmful. Special care should be taken with extremely toxic compounds or when serious skin, ocular, or respiratory exposures are a possibility.
If possible, automate the transfer of liquid Bromine Trifluoride from drums or other storage containers to processing containers.
Make sure there isn’t an explosive concentration of Bromine Trifluoride before entering a restricted area holding it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These are questions that are frequently asked by people.
Q1. What is the purpose of bromine trifluoride?
Bromine trifluoride is a flammable liquid that is colorless to gray-yellow in color and has a strong odor. When it comes into contact with water, it reacts strongly. It’s a fluorinating agent as well as an electrolytic solvent.
Q2. With trifluoride, how do you produce bromine with trifluoride?
Paul Lebeau initially characterized bromine trifluoride in 1906, after obtaining it by combining bromine and fluorine at 20 °C: Br2 + 3 F2 2 BrF. Bromine trifluoride is formed when bromine monofluoride is disproportionated: 3 BrF BrF3 + Br.
Q3. When bromine trifluoride combines with silica, what happens?
Bromine trifluoride interacts with silicon dioxide, it creates gaseous silicon tetrafluoride and bromine.
Q4. Is BrF3 a salt or not?
BrF3 interacts with fluoride acids and bases rather than proton acids and bases, unlike water. As a result, a base in BrF3 is a salt that supplies F-, i.e., potassium fluoride (KF) is a base in BrF3 solution, just as potassium hydroxide (KOH) is in water.
Q5. What is bromine trifluoride’s structure?
Bromine trifluoride has a T-shaped molecular structure, according to its Lewis structure. According to the VSEPR hypothesis of molecule synthesis, the centre bromine is coupled with two electron pairs. 1.72 is the distance between the bromine centre and the equatorial fluorine, while 1.81 is the distance between each of the axial fluorines.
Q6. When it comes to bromine trifluoride, is it polar or nonpolar?
BrF3 (bromine trifluoride) is a polar molecule with a distorted or twisted trigonal bipyramidal shape due to the presence of two lone pairs on the core bromine atom. The charge distribution on the atoms of the BrF3 molecule is non-uniform, making the BrF3 molecule polar.
Q7. Why is BrF3 curved like a T rather than being trigonal planar?
BrF3 isn’t a trigonal planar at all. BrF3 contains single pairs at the centre atom, whereas a compound’s centre atom should not have a lone pair for it to be trigonal planar. BrF3 does not have a bond angle of roughly 120 degrees, hence it is not a trigonal planar.
Q8. What are the intermolecular forces in BrF3?
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- London Dispersion the major intermolecular force in BF3.
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- Hydrogen bonding is the process of joining two hydrogen atoms together.
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- Ion-Dipole.
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- Dipole-Dipole.
Q9. Why is BrF3 a nonpolar compound?
Is BrF3 polar or nonpolar, then? Because of the existence of two lone pairs on the bromine atom, BrF3 (bromine trifluoride) is a polar molecule with a deformed or twisted structure, and because the charge distribution on its atoms is non-uniform, the molecule is polar in nature.
Q10. Why does the BrF3 dipole have a dipole?
The dipole moment of bromine trifluoride (BrF3) is a measure of a molecule’s polarity. A difference in electronegativity between the connected atoms necessitates the presence of polar bonds in polar molecules.
Conclusion
Bromine trifluoride (BrF3) is an interhalogen with the formula BrF3. It’s a pale yellow liquid with a foul odor. Although sulfuric acid dissolves it, it has a lot of interactions with water and organic molecules. It’s a powerful fluorinating agent and an ionizing inorganic solvent. It’s used to create uranium hexafluoride (UF6), which is used in the processing and reprocessing of nuclear fuel.
The following are some of the risks associated with bromine trifluoride:
Bromine Trifluoride is a highly reactive substance that can cause severe irritation and burns to the eyes and skin, as well as blindness. When breathed, bromine trifluoride can cause irritation in the respiratory system, as well as irritation in the nose and throat…
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