Polonium tetrachloride


Polonium tetrachloride is a chemical compound with the formula PoCl4. It is a hygroscopic bright yellow crystalline solid at room temperature. Above 200 °C, it tends to decompose into polonium dichloride and excess chlorine, similar to selenium tetrachloride and tellurium tetrachloride.

Structure

Polonium tetrachloride is either monoclinic or triclinic.

Appearance

Polonium tetrachloride is bright yellow at room temperature. At its melting point, it becomes straw yellow, and at its boiling point, it becomes scarlet. Its vapours are purple-brown until 500 °C, when they turn blue-green.

Preparation

Polonium tetrachloride may be prepared by:
Polonium tetrachloride forms a complex with two moles of tributyl phosphate.
Like selenium tetrachloride and tellurium tetrachloride, polonium tetrachloride forms and halogen complexes.