Indium(III) hydroxide is the chemical compound with the formula In(OH)3. Its prime use is as a precursor to indium(III) oxide, In2O3.[1] It is sometimes found as the rare mineral dzhalindite.

Indium(III) hydroxide
Names
IUPAC name
Indium(III) hydroxide
Other names
Indium hydroxide, indium trihydroxide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ECHA InfoCard 100.039.937 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 243-947-7
UNII
  • InChI=1S/In.3H2O/h;3*1H2/q 3;;;/p-3
    Key: IGUXCTSQIGAGSV-UHFFFAOYSA-K
  • [OH-].[OH-].[OH-].[In 3]
Properties
In(OH)3
Molar mass 165.8404 g/mol
Appearance White solid
Density 4.38 g/cm3
Melting point 150 °C (302 °F; 423 K) (decomposes)
insoluble
1.725
Structure
cubic
Im3
octahedral
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 2: Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. E.g. chloroformFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazards (white): no code
2
0
1
Related compounds
Related compounds
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Structure

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Indium(III) hydroxide has a cubic structure, space group Im3, a distorted ReO3 structure.[2][3]

Preparation and reactions

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Neutralizing a solution containing an In3 salt such as indium nitrate (In(NO3)3) or a solution of indium trichloride (InCl3) gives a white precipitate that on aging forms indium(III) hydroxide.[4][5] A thermal decomposition of freshly prepared In(OH)3 shows the first step is the conversion of In(OH)3·xH2O to cubic indium(III) hydroxide.[4] The precipitation of indium hydroxide was a step in the separation of indium from zincblende ore by Reich and Richter, the discoverers of indium.[6]

Indium(III) hydroxide is amphoteric, like gallium(III) hydroxide (Ga(OH)3) and aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3), but is much less acidic than gallium hydroxide (Ga(OH)3),[5] having a lower solubility in alkaline solutions than in acid solutions.[7] It is for all intents and purposes a basic hydroxide.[8]

Dissolving indium(III) hydroxide in strong alkali gives solutions that probably contain either four coordinate [In(OH)4] or [In(OH)4(H2O)].[8]

Reaction with acetic acid or carboxylic acids is likely to give the basic acetate or carboxylate salt, e.g. (CH3COO)2In(OH).[7]

At 10 MPa pressure and 250-400 °C, indium(III) hydroxide converts to indium oxide hydroxide (InO(OH)), which has a distorted rutile structure.[5]

Rapid decompression of samples of indium(III) hydroxide compressed at 34 GPa causes decomposition, yielding some indium metal.[9]

Laser ablation of indium(III) hydroxide gives indium(I) hydroxide (InOH), a bent molecule with an In-O-H angle of around 132° and an In-O bond length of 201.7 pm.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Simon Aldridge, Anthony J. Downs (2011). The Group 13 Metals Aluminium, Gallium, Indium and Thallium: Chemical Patterns and Peculiarities. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-68191-6.
  2. ^ A Norlund Christensen, N.C. Broch (1967). "Hydrothermal Investigation of the systems In2O3-H2O-Na2O and In2O3-D2O-Na2O. The crystal structure of rhombohedral In2O3 and In(OH)3". Acta Chemica Scandinavica. 21: 1046–1056. doi:10.3891/acta.chem.scand.21-1046.
  3. ^ Wells A.F. (1984). Structural Inorganic Chemistry (5th ed.). Oxford Science Publications. ISBN 0-19-855370-6.
  4. ^ a b Sato, T. (2005). "Preparation and thermal decomposition of indium hydroxide". Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. 82 (3): 775–782. doi:10.1007/s10973-005-0963-4. ISSN 1388-6150. S2CID 195329927.
  5. ^ a b c Egon Wiberg, Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001). Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier. ISBN 0123526515.
  6. ^ Advanced Inorganic Chemistry. Vol. I (31st ed.). Krishna Prakashan Media. 2008. ISBN 9788187224037.
  7. ^ a b George K. Schweitzer, Lester L. Pesterfield (2009). The Aqueous Chemistry of the Elements. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195393354.
  8. ^ a b Anthony John Downs (1993). Chemistry of aluminium, gallium, indium, and thallium. Springer. ISBN 0-7514-0103-X.
  9. ^ Gurlo, Aleksander; Dzivenko, Dmytro; Andrade, Miria; Riedel, Ralf; Lauterbach, Stefan; Kleebe, Hans-Joachim (2010). "Pressure-Induced Decomposition of Indium Hydroxide". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 132 (36): 12674–12678. doi:10.1021/ja104278p. ISSN 0002-7863. PMID 20731389.
  10. ^ Lakin, Nicholas M.; Varberg, Thomas D.; Brown, John M. (1997). "The Detection of Lines in the Microwave Spectrum of Indium Hydroxide, InOH, and Its Isotopomers". Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy. 183 (1): 34–41. Bibcode:1997JMoSp.183...34L. doi:10.1006/jmsp.1996.7237. ISSN 0022-2852.