Pentafluoroselenium hypofluorite

Pentafluoroselenium hypofluorite is a selenium compound with the chemical formula SeOF₆. It was discovered at 1959.

Preparation

Pentafluoroselenium hypofluorite can be produced from the reaction of selenium dioxide or selenium oxychloride with fluorine gas in the presence of silver difluoride catalyst. However, the reaction yield is low (14%), and it is hard to purify due to large amount of SeF₆ byproduct.

Pentafluoroselenium hypofluorite can also formed from selenium oxyfluoride and fluorine gas in the presence of potassium fluoride.

The reaction of fluorine gas and Hg(OSeF₅)₂ produces SeOF₆ in much higher yield and with less SeF₆.

Reactions

Pentafluoroselenium hypofluorite is reactive, but not as reactive as pentafluorosulfur hypofluorite. It reacts with water to release oxygen gas. It reacts with potassium hydroxide too, forming potassium selenate, potassium fluoride, water and oxygen gas.：

SeOF₆ can also oxidize potassium iodide into iodine. It explodes upon reacting with ethylene, and the reaction with perfluorocyclopentene produces F₅SeOC₅F₉. SeOF₆ reacts with sulfur tetrafluoride to produce thionyl fluoride, thionyl tetrafluoride, sulfuryl fluoride, selenium hexafluoride and F₅SOSeF₅. SeOF₆ reacts very slowly with carbon monoxide, and produces F₅SeOCFO at 65°C. SeOF₆ reacts with bromine to form BrOSeF₅.

References