Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Fluorine from Hexafluorosilicic acid for halogen substitution

ChemistryGhost - 23-2-2013 at 13:39

This might be a dangerous reaction. How would one be able to obtain fluorine gas from hexafluorosilicic acid to dissolve in diethyl ether for use in a halogen substitution reaction? Replacing chlorine and bromine substituted chemicals with fluorine. Do ether solutions of fluorine etch glass?

[Edited on 23-2-2013 by ChemistryGhost]

Mercedesbenzene - 23-2-2013 at 13:52

Let alone producing fluorine gas, it will most likely react with the diethyl ether itself. Fluorine has a habit of reacting with almost everything, violently.
http://crab.rutgers.edu/~alroche/FCh3.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5_9z1TxUfg
Chicken's have much less flammability than ether, so I suggest to find another way to get your product

ChemistryGhost - 23-2-2013 at 14:07

:o Holy crap! It's like the honey badger of chemistry. It'll react with ANYTHING! :o

Mercedesbenzene - 23-2-2013 at 14:09

What is the end product that you are aiming for?

woelen - 23-2-2013 at 14:12

Quote: Originally posted by ChemistryGhost  
This might be a dangerous reaction. How would one be able to obtain fluorine gas from hexafluorosilicic acid to dissolve in diethyl ether for use in a halogen substitution reaction? Replacing chlorine and bromine substituted chemicals with fluorine. Do ether solutions of fluorine etch glass?

[Edited on 23-2-2013 by ChemistryGhost]

:D This made me smile. Dissolving fluorine in ether ;)
You'd better start reading a little bit on the subject of halogens and then you'll learn very quickly that there are only few chemicals which do not react with F2. I'm 100% sure that F2, as soon as it comes in contact with ether, will give a spectacular piece of firework. It gives a spectacular piece of firework with most other compounds as well. E.g. have a look at youtube where people show pieces of carbon, cotton, sulphur, paper, iron and iodine treated with fluorine gas. Very spectacular!

Making fluorine is very hard. Only very recently a method is discovered, using chemicals only (very reactive and very exotic chemicals). But the preferred way of making fluorine is by means of electrolysis of a solution of KF in anhydrous HF, not something you want to have in your house.

kristofvagyok - 23-2-2013 at 14:40

Yes, this is a dangerous reaction! You would probably die.

Halex reactions are made on several ways, for replacing Cl, Br ect. to fluorine KF, NaF is used with moderate yields, and anhydrous HF, SbF3, CoF2 ect. on high yields.

The reaction with SbF3 is called Swart's reaction what goes on an easy way. Just mix the organic halide with excess SbF3 and heat it to reflux. An exothermic reaction will take place and after it just distill of your product with a short Vigreux column.

P.S.: SbF3 is toxic and eats the glass a bit. After the reaction the Sb-fluorides, halides should be decomposed with some dilute hydrochoric acid. And beware, HF will be produced, so don't drink it .

[Edited on 23-2-2013 by kristofvagyok]

CaptainOfSmug - 23-2-2013 at 22:50

It scares when I see people wanting fluorine or even handling it... I have a few liters of the stuff and have never even attempted to open/handle it. If you just want fluorine why not just buy it?