Diphosphorus tetroxide, or phosphorus tetroxide is an inorganic compound of phosphorus and oxygen. It has the empirical chemical formula P2O4. Solid phosphorus tetroxide (also referred to as phosphorus(III,V)-oxide) consists of variable mixtures of the mixed-valence oxides P4O7, P4O8 and P4O9.[1][2][3]

Phosphorus tetroxide
Names
Other names
Phosphorus tetroxide
Phosphorus(V) oxide
Phosphoric anhydride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
  • InChI=1S/O4P2/c1-5-4-6(2)3
    Key: PKSMWOJZXCKNBJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • (P4O7): InChI=1S/O7P4/c1-11-5-8-2-9(6-11)4-10(3-8)7-11
    Key: JXMJWGUWYVJTGA-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • (P4O8): InChI=1S/O8P4/c1-11-4-9-3-10(5-11)7-12(2,6-9)8-11
    Key: BDFGQAKHAFFJCF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • (P4O9): InChI=1S/O9P4/c1-11-4-10-5-12(2,7-11)9-13(3,6-10)8-11
    Key: DKJKPKZTNXPRRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • O=POP(=O)=O
  • (P4O7): O=P12OP3OP(O1)OP(O3)O2
  • (P4O8): O=P12OP3OP(O1)OP(=O)(O3)O2
  • (P4O9): O=P12OP3OP(=O)(O1)OP(=O)(O3)O2
Properties
P2O4
Molar mass 125.96 g·mol−1
Appearance Solid
Melting point >100 °C
Vapor pressure 2.54 g·cm−3
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Preparation

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Phosphorus tetroxide can be produced by thermal decomposition of phosphorus trioxide, which disproportionates above 210 °C to form phosphorus tetroxide, with elemental phosphorus as a byproduct:

 

In addition, phosphorus trioxide can be converted into phosphorus tetroxide by controlled oxidation with oxygen in carbon tetrachloride solution.[4][5][6]

Careful reduction of phosphorus pentoxide with red phosphorus at 450-525 °C also produces phosphorus tetroxide.

References

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  1. ^ http://www.wiley.com/college/math/chem/cg/sales/voet.html. Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Alberts B.; et al. (2002). Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th Ed. Garland Science. ISBN 978-0-8153-4072-0.
  3. ^ Voet D., Voet J. G. (2004-03-09). Biochemistry, 3rd Ed. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-19350-0.
  4. ^ Atkins P., de Paula J. (2006). Physical chemistry, 8th Ed. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman. ISBN 978-0-7167-8759-4.
  5. ^ Petrucci, Ralph H.; Harwood, William S.; Herring, F. Geoffrey (2002). General chemistry: principles and modern applications (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-014329-7. LCCN 2001032331. OCLC 46872308.
  6. ^ Laidler K. J. (1978). Physical chemistry with biological applications. Benjamin/Cummings. Menlo Park. ISBN 978-0-8053-5680-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)