Phosphine and Related Topics

Ball-and-stick model of the diamminesilver(I) cation, [Ag(NH3)2]+

Ammonia

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Compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3.

Ball-and-stick model of the tetraamminediaquacopper(II) cation, [Cu(NH3)4(H2O)2](2+)

This high-pressure reactor was built in 1921 by BASF in Ludwigshafen and was re-erected on the premises of the University of Karlsruhe in Germany.

Ammoniacal Gas Engine Streetcar in New Orleans drawn by Alfred Waud in 1871.

The X-15 aircraft used ammonia as one component fuel of its rocket engine

Anti-meth sign on tank of anhydrous ammonia, Otley, Iowa. Anhydrous ammonia is a common farm fertilizer that is also a critical ingredient in making methamphetamine. In 2005, Iowa used grant money to give out thousands of locks to prevent criminals from getting into the tanks.

The world's longest ammonia pipeline (roughly 2400 km long), running from the TogliattiAzot plant in Russia to Odessa in Ukraine

Hydrochloric acid sample releasing HCl fumes, which are reacting with ammonia fumes to produce a white smoke of ammonium chloride.

Production trend of ammonia between 1947 and 2007

Main symptoms of hyperammonemia (ammonia reaching toxic concentrations).

Ammonia occurs in the atmospheres of the outer giant planets such as Jupiter (0.026% ammonia), Saturn (0.012% ammonia), and in the atmospheres and ices of Uranus and Neptune.

Liquid: Liquid ammonia possesses strong ionising powers reflecting its high ε of 22. Liquid ammonia has a very high standard enthalpy change of vaporization (23.35 kJ/mol, cf. water 40.65 kJ/mol, methane 8.19 kJ/mol, phosphine 14.6 kJ/mol) and can therefore be used in laboratories in uninsulated vessels without additional refrigeration. See liquid ammonia as a solvent.

Calcium phosphide

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Inorganic compound with the formula Ca3P2.

The acid in the digestive system of the rodent reacts with the phosphide to generate the toxic gas phosphine.

Pyrophoricity

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Pyrophoric if it ignites spontaneously in air at or below 54 °C (for gases) or within 5 minutes after coming into contact with air (for liquids and solids).

Nonmetal hydrides (arsine, phosphine, diborane, germane, silane)

Zinc phosphide

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Inorganic chemical compound.

Zinc phosphide reacts with water to produce phosphine (PH3) and zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH)2):

Diphosphane

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Inorganic compound with the chemical formula P2H4.

It is the impurity that typically causes samples of phosphine to ignite in air.

Pnictogen hydride

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Pnictogen hydrides or hydrogen pnictides are binary compounds of hydrogen with pnictogen ( or ; from "to choke" and -gen, "generator") atoms (elements of group 15: nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth) covalently bonded to hydrogen.

Phosphine is also water-soluble.

White phosphorus (left), red phosphorus (center left and center right), and violet phosphorus (right)

Allotropes of phosphorus

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Elemental phosphorus can exist in several allotropes, the most common of which are white and red solids.

White phosphorus and resulting allotropes

White phosphorus sample, with a chunk removed from the corner to expose un-oxidized material

Violet phosphorus (right) by a sample of red phosphorus (left)

The safety risks associated with phosphine generation and friction sensitivity of red phosphorus can be effectively minimized by stabilization and micro-encapsulation.

Aluminium phosphide

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Highly toxic inorganic compound with the chemical formula AlP, used as a wide band gap semiconductor and a fumigant.

The deaths occurred accidentally due to aluminium phosphide reacting with water or moisture, and becoming phosphine, leading to their death within hours.