Niobium pentaiodide is the inorganic compound with the formula Nb2I10. Its name comes from the compound's empirical formula, NbI5. It is a diamagnetic, yellow solid that hydrolyses readily. The compound adopts an edge-shared bioctahedral structure, which means that two NbI5 units are joined by a pair of iodide bridges. There is no bond between the Nb centres. Niobium(V) chloride, niobium(V) bromide, tantalum(V) chloride, tantalum(V) bromide, and tantalum(V) iodide, all share this structural motif.
Preparation
Niobium pentaiodide forms from the reaction of niobium with iodine:
- 2 Nb 5 I2 → 2 NbI5
The method used for the preparation of tantalum(V) iodide using aluminium triiodide fails to produce pure pentaiodide.
Properties
Niobium(V) iodide forms of dark, brassy, extremely moisture-sensitive needles or flakes. Its crystallises in the monoclinic crystal system with space group P21/c (space group no. 14), a = 1058 pm, b = 658 pm, c = 1388 pm, β = 109.14°. The crystal structure consists of zigzag chains of corner-sharing NbI6 octahedra. Since so far only twinned crystals of this phase have been obtained, and the structure determination is uncertain. If the reaction of the elements is carried out with an excess of iodine, a triclinic modification is created with the space group P1 (No. 2), a = 759.1 pm, b = 1032.2 pm, c = 697.7 pm, α = 90 .93°, β = 116.17°, γ = 109.07°, which consists of isolated molecules Nb2I10. This structure is isotypic with that of triclinic niobium(V) bromide.
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