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White phosphorus

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Most (83% in 1988) white phosphorus is used as a precursor to phosphoric acid, half of which is used for food or medical products where purity is important. The other half is used for detergents. Much of the remaining 17% is mainly used for the production of chlorinated compounds
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Cossairt, Brandi M.; Cummins, Christopher C.; Head, Ashley R.; Lichtenberger, Dennis L.; Berger, Raphael J. F.; Hayes, Stuart A.; Mitzel, Norbert W.; Wu, Gang (2010-06-01). "On the Molecular and Electronic Structures of AsP3 and P4".
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White phosphorus is rather acutely toxic, with a lethal dose of 50-100 mg (1 mg/kg body weight). Its mode of action is thought to involve its reducing properties. It is metabolized to phosphate, which is not toxic.
395: 894:, no other polyhedral phosphorus clusters are known. White phosphorus converts to the thermodynamically-stabler red allotrope, but that allotrope is not isolated polyhedra. 556:
and instability. Although both are called "white phosphorus", in fact two different crystal allotropes are known, interchanging reversibly at 195.2 K. The element's
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tetrahedra with oxygen inserted between the phosphorus atoms and at their vertices. White phosphorus is only slightly soluble in water and can be stored under water.
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Despite white phosphorus not being the most stable allotropes of phosphorus, its molecular nature allows it to be easily purified. Thus, it's defined to have a zero
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Corbridge, D. E. C. (1995) "Phosphorus: An Outline of its Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Technology" 5th Edition Elsevier: Amsterdam. § 4.1.12.
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because it is pyrophoric. For the same reasons, it is dangerous to handle. Measures are taken to protect samples from air. Anecdotal report of problems for
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Molten and gaseous white phosphorus also retains the tetrahedral molecules, until 800 °C (1,500 °F; 1,100 K) when it starts decomposing to
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from chronic ingestion or inhalation. The odour of combustion of this form has a characteristic garlic odor, and samples are commonly coated with white "
458:), and impure white phosphorus is for this reason called yellow phosphorus. White phosphorus is the first allotrope of phosphorus, and in fact the first 1307:
Streubel, Rainer (1995). "Phosphaalkyne Cyclooligomers: From Dimers to Hexamers—First Steps on the Way to Phosphorus–Carbon Cage Compounds".
915:. Other clusters are more thermodynamically favorable, and some have been partially formed as components of larger polyelemental compounds. 266: 1348: 626:
molecules, i.e. 18 different P-P bond lengths — between 2.1768(5) and 2.1920(5) Å. The average P-P bond length is 2.183(5) Å.
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to be discovered that was not known since ancient times. It glows greenish in the dark (when exposed to oxygen) and is highly
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It ignites spontaneously in air at about 50 °C (122 °F), and at much lower temperatures if finely divided (due to
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Many reactions of white phosphorus involve insertion into the P-P bonds, such as the reaction with oxygen, sulfur,
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Weeks, Mary Elvira (1932). "The discovery of the elements. II. Elements known to the alchemists".
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Simon, Arndt; Borrmann, Horst; Horakh, Jörg (1997). "On the Polymorphism of White Phosphorus".
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White phosphorus sample with a chunk removed from the corner to expose un-oxidized material
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This article is about the chemistry of white phosphorus. For military applications, see
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The white allotrope can be produced using several methods. In the industrial process,
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are also formed, but in small amounts. This combustion gives phosphorus(V) oxide:
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who may collect washed-up samples while unaware of their true nature.
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Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their
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in a tetrahedral structure, joined by six phosphorus—phosphorus
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In this way, an estimated 750,000 tons were produced in 1988.
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Diskowski, Herbert; Hofmann, Thomas (2000). "Phosphorus".
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Other products derived from white phosphorus include
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when reacted with excess oxygen. On rare occasions,
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oxides depending on the amount of available oxygen:
603:molecule in the gas phase has a P-P bond length of 1309:Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English 675:). Phosphorus reacts with oxygen, usually forming 1366: 1220: 1034: 450:solid that quickly yellows in light (due to its 182: 369: 1223:Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 1162:Engel, Robert; Cohen, JaimeLee Iolani (2004). 881: 763: 470:(self-igniting) upon contact with air. It is 1283: 1281: 1279: 1111: 1039:(2nd ed.). Prentice Hall. p. 392. 1067:. Singapore : World Scientific. p. 3. 1161: 1063:Durif, A.; Averbuch-Pouchot, M.T. (1996). 333:44.1 °C; 111.4 °F; 317.3 K 225: 160: 138: 1287: 1276: 1200:100 years of Phosphorus Making: 1851–1951 1035:Housecroft, C. E.; Sharpe, A. G. (2004). 1306: 1192: 1121:Journal of the American Chemical Society 1086: 1084: 527: 772:is heated in an electric or fuel-fired 221: 1367: 1058: 1056: 629: 151: 1216: 1214: 1212: 1081: 996: 343:280 °C; 536 °F; 553 K 253:Key: OBSZRRSYVTXPNB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1164:Synthesis of Carbon-Phosphorus Bonds 1030: 1028: 928:White phosphorus is used as a weapon 886:Although white phosphorus forms the 1335:"A dangerous guide to beachcombing" 1053: 610:= 2.1994(3) Å as was determined by 572:. The β form is believed to have a 173: 13: 1247: 1209: 532:White phosphorus crystal structure 365: 295: 77:1,2,3,4-Tetraphosphatricyclobutane 14: 1391: 1025: 788:. An idealized equation for this 645:, white phosphorus spontaneously 42: 29: 1341: 1327: 1300: 412:(at 25 °C , 100 kPa). 1155: 990: 966: 878:and various metal phosphides. 1: 1065:Topics in phosphate chemistry 999:Journal of Chemical Education 959: 1166:(2nd ed.). Boca Raton: 523: 7: 937: 882:Other polyhedrane analogues 764:Production and applications 536:White phosphorus exists as 10: 1396: 1256:Chemistry Part I Class XII 564:α form, which is actually 250:InChI=1S/P4/c1-2-3(1)4(1)2 15: 1198:Threlfall, R.E., (1951). 978:American Chemical Society 918: 406: 347: 282: 262: 237: 100: 83: 71: 59: 54: 41: 28: 18:White phosphorus munition 1231:10.1002/14356007.a19_505 1105:10.1002/cber.19971300911 949:Allotropes of phosphorus 890:, the simplest possible 851:phosphorus pentachloride 800:, which would also form 673:melting-point depression 612:gas electron diffraction 49:Tetraphosphorus molecule 876:phosphorus pentasulfide 653:and various phosphorus 552:arrangement results in 444:allotrope of phosphorus 1321:10.1002/anie.199504361 847:phosphorus oxychloride 843:phosphorus trichloride 533: 484:diphosphorus pentoxide 446:. It is a translucent 376: 802:silicon tetrafluoride 790:carbothermal reaction 662:phosphorus tribromide 636:enthalpy of formation 531: 486:", which consists of 375: 73:Systematic IUPAC name 892:Platonic hydrocarbon 460:elementary substance 358:(fire diamond) 89:Molecular phosphorus 1204:Albright and Wilson 1037:Inorganic Chemistry 1011:1932JChEd...9...11W 776:in the presence of 692:phosphorus trioxide 630:Chemical properties 576:crystal structure. 570:standard conditions 562:body-centered cubic 540:of four phosphorus 518:disulfur dichloride 313: g·mol 25: 1093:Chemische Berichte 974:"White phosphorus" 534: 416:Infobox references 377: 23: 1269:978-81-7450-648-1 1240:978-3-527-30385-4 1133:10.1021/ja102580d 1127:(24): 8459–8465. 1074:978-981-02-2634-3 1046:978-0-13-039913-7 794:calcium phosphate 647:disproportionates 478:on ingestion and 474:, causing severe 432:yellow phosphorus 424:Chemical compound 422: 421: 206:CompTox Dashboard 120:Interactive image 92:Yellow phosphorus 24:White phosphorus 1387: 1375:White phosphorus 1359: 1358: 1345: 1339: 1338: 1331: 1325: 1324: 1304: 1298: 1297: 1285: 1274: 1273: 1261: 1251: 1245: 1244: 1218: 1207: 1196: 1190: 1189: 1159: 1153: 1152: 1115: 1109: 1108: 1099:(9): 1235–1240. 1088: 1079: 1078: 1060: 1051: 1050: 1032: 1023: 1022: 1019:10.1021/ed009p11 994: 988: 987: 985: 984: 970: 911:, produced from 910: 870: 833: 825:+ 10 C → 6 CaSiO 759: 737: 726: 715: 704: 689: 625: 624: 623: 602: 601: 600: 590: 589: 588: 514:carbon disulfide 503: 496: 454:conversion into 428:White phosphorus 397: 390: 383: 368: 312: 297: 290:Chemical formula 230: 229: 214: 212: 186: 175: 164: 153: 142: 122: 64:White phosphorus 46: 33: 26: 22: 1395: 1394: 1390: 1389: 1388: 1386: 1385: 1384: 1365: 1364: 1363: 1362: 1347: 1346: 1342: 1333: 1332: 1328: 1305: 1301: 1286: 1277: 1270: 1259: 1253: 1252: 1248: 1241: 1219: 1210: 1197: 1193: 1178: 1160: 1156: 1116: 1112: 1089: 1082: 1075: 1061: 1054: 1047: 1033: 1026: 995: 991: 982: 980: 972: 971: 967: 962: 940: 921: 909: 905: 901: 884: 869: 865: 861: 857: 832: 828: 824: 820: 816: 812: 808: 786:phosphoric acid 766: 758: 754: 750: 746: 742: 736: 732: 728: 725: 721: 717: 714: 710: 706: 703: 699: 695: 688: 684: 680: 632: 622: 619: 618: 617: 615: 609: 599: 596: 595: 594: 592: 591:molecules. The 587: 584: 583: 582: 580: 526: 502: 498: 495: 491: 487: 441: 436:tetraphosphorus 425: 418: 413: 402: 401: 400: 399: 392: 385: 378: 374: 366: 310: 300: 292: 278: 275: 270: 269: 258: 255: 254: 251: 245: 244: 233: 215: 208: 189: 176: 145: 125: 112: 96: 95: 79: 78: 67: 66:Tetraphosphorus 65: 50: 47: 37: 34: 21: 12: 11: 5: 1393: 1383: 1382: 1377: 1361: 1360: 1354:Deutsche Welle 1340: 1326: 1315:(4): 436–438. 1299: 1275: 1268: 1246: 1239: 1208: 1191: 1176: 1154: 1110: 1080: 1073: 1052: 1045: 1024: 989: 964: 963: 961: 958: 957: 956: 951: 946: 944:Red phosphorus 939: 936: 920: 917: 913:phosphaalkynes 907: 903: 883: 880: 872: 871: 867: 863: 859: 835: 834: 830: 826: 822: 818: 814: 810: 770:phosphate rock 765: 762: 761: 760: 756: 752: 748: 744: 734: 730: 723: 719: 712: 708: 701: 697: 686: 682: 631: 628: 620: 607: 597: 585: 558:standard state 525: 522: 504:is soluble in 500: 493: 489: 456:red phosphorus 439: 423: 420: 419: 414: 410:standard state 407: 404: 403: 393: 386: 379: 364: 363: 362: 361: 359: 350: 349: 345: 344: 341: 335: 334: 331: 325: 324: 321: 315: 314: 308: 302: 301: 298: 293: 288: 285: 284: 280: 279: 277: 276: 273: 265: 264: 263: 260: 259: 257: 256: 252: 249: 248: 240: 239: 238: 235: 234: 232: 231: 223:DTXSID90923991 218: 216: 204: 201: 200: 197: 191: 190: 188: 187: 179: 177: 169: 166: 165: 155: 147: 146: 144: 143: 135: 133: 127: 126: 124: 123: 115: 113: 106: 103: 102: 98: 97: 94: 93: 90: 86: 85: 81: 80: 76: 75: 69: 68: 63: 57: 56: 52: 51: 48: 39: 38: 35: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1392: 1381: 1378: 1376: 1373: 1372: 1370: 1356: 1355: 1350: 1344: 1336: 1330: 1322: 1318: 1314: 1310: 1303: 1295: 1294:0-444-89307-5 1291: 1284: 1282: 1280: 1271: 1265: 1258: 1257: 1250: 1242: 1236: 1232: 1228: 1224: 1217: 1215: 1213: 1205: 1201: 1195: 1187: 1183: 1179: 1177:0-8493-1617-0 1173: 1169: 1165: 1158: 1150: 1146: 1142: 1138: 1134: 1130: 1126: 1122: 1114: 1106: 1102: 1098: 1094: 1087: 1085: 1076: 1070: 1066: 1059: 1057: 1048: 1042: 1038: 1031: 1029: 1020: 1016: 1012: 1008: 1004: 1000: 993: 979: 975: 969: 965: 955: 952: 950: 947: 945: 942: 941: 935: 933: 929: 925: 916: 914: 899: 895: 893: 889: 879: 877: 856: 855: 854: 852: 848: 844: 838: 807: 806: 805: 803: 799: 798:fluoroapatite 795: 792:is shown for 791: 787: 783: 779: 775: 771: 741: 740: 739: 693: 678: 674: 669: 667: 663: 658: 656: 652: 648: 644: 639: 637: 627: 613: 606: 577: 575: 571: 567: 563: 559: 555: 551: 547: 543: 539: 530: 521: 519: 515: 511: 507: 485: 481: 477: 473: 469: 465: 461: 457: 453: 452:photochemical 449: 445: 437: 433: 429: 417: 411: 405: 398: 391: 384: 360: 357: 356: 352: 351: 346: 342: 340: 339:Boiling point 337: 336: 332: 330: 329:Melting point 327: 326: 322: 320: 317: 316: 309: 307: 304: 303: 294: 291: 287: 286: 281: 272: 271: 268: 261: 247: 246: 243: 236: 228: 224: 220: 219: 217: 207: 203: 202: 198: 196: 193: 192: 185: 181: 180: 178: 172: 168: 167: 163: 159: 156: 154: 152:ECHA InfoCard 149: 148: 141: 137: 136: 134: 132: 129: 128: 121: 117: 116: 114: 110: 105: 104: 99: 91: 88: 87: 82: 74: 70: 62: 58: 53: 45: 40: 32: 27: 19: 1352: 1343: 1329: 1312: 1308: 1302: 1255: 1249: 1222: 1199: 1194: 1163: 1157: 1124: 1120: 1113: 1096: 1092: 1064: 1036: 1002: 998: 992: 981:. Retrieved 977: 968: 932:beachcombers 926: 922: 896: 885: 873: 839: 836: 767: 676: 670: 659: 640: 633: 604: 578: 546:single bonds 535: 476:liver damage 435: 434:, or simply 431: 427: 426: 354: 101:Identifiers 84:Other names 1202:. Oldbury: 888:tetrahedron 829:+ 10 CO + P 554:ring strain 550:tetrahedral 283:Properties 158:100.107.967 61:IUPAC names 1380:Allotropes 1369:Categories 1186:2003060796 983:2024-08-10 960:References 954:Phosphorus 566:metastable 480:phossy jaw 468:pyrophoric 323:1.82 g/cm 306:Molar mass 274:P12P3P1P23 131:ChemSpider 107:3D model ( 1168:CRC Press 1141:0002-7863 1005:(1): 11. 651:phosphine 574:hexagonal 538:molecules 524:Structure 464:flammable 195:UN number 1170:. §2.3. 1149:20515032 938:See also 664:and the 442:) is an 355:NFPA 704 348:Hazards 1007:Bibcode 866:→ 4PCl 821:+ 6 SiO 774:furnace 657:salts. 655:oxyacid 560:is the 506:benzene 319:Density 311:123.895 171:PubChem 1292:  1266:  1237:  1184:  1174:  1147:  1139:  1071:  1043:  919:Safety 898:Cubane 862:+ 10Cl 849:, and 782:silica 778:carbon 727:, and 666:NO ion 568:under 548:. The 516:, and 267:SMILES 184:123286 140:109894 55:Names 1260:(PDF) 747:+ 5 O 542:atoms 472:toxic 242:InChI 199:1381 109:JSmol 1290:ISBN 1264:ISBN 1235:ISBN 1182:LCCN 1172:ISBN 1145:PMID 1137:ISSN 1069:ISBN 1041:ISBN 906:(CH) 809:2 Ca 780:and 643:base 510:oils 466:and 448:waxy 1317:doi 1227:doi 1206:Ltd 1129:doi 1125:132 1101:doi 1097:130 1015:doi 813:(PO 804:): 751:→ P 677:two 649:to 641:In 211:EPA 174:CID 1371:: 1351:. 1313:34 1311:. 1278:^ 1233:. 1225:. 1211:^ 1180:. 1143:. 1135:. 1123:. 1095:. 1083:^ 1055:^ 1027:^ 1013:. 1001:. 976:. 853:: 845:, 757:10 716:, 702:10 668:. 638:. 520:. 512:, 508:, 494:10 438:(P 430:, 1357:. 1337:. 1323:. 1319:: 1296:. 1272:. 1243:. 1229:: 1188:. 1151:. 1131:: 1107:. 1103:: 1077:. 1049:. 1021:. 1017:: 1009:: 1003:9 986:. 908:4 904:4 902:P 868:5 864:2 860:4 858:P 831:4 827:3 823:2 819:2 817:) 815:4 811:3 755:O 753:4 749:2 745:4 743:P 735:9 733:O 731:4 729:P 724:8 722:O 720:4 718:P 713:7 711:O 709:4 707:P 700:O 698:4 696:P 690:( 687:6 685:O 683:4 681:P 621:4 616:P 608:g 605:r 598:4 593:P 586:2 581:P 501:4 499:P 492:O 490:4 488:P 440:4 396:2 389:4 382:4 299:4 296:P 213:) 209:( 111:) 20:.

Index

White phosphorus munition


IUPAC names
Systematic IUPAC name
JSmol
Interactive image
ChemSpider
109894
ECHA InfoCard
100.107.967
Edit this at Wikidata
PubChem
123286
UN number
CompTox Dashboard
DTXSID90923991
Edit this at Wikidata
InChI
SMILES
Chemical formula
Molar mass
Density
Melting point
Boiling point
NFPA 704
4
4
2
standard state

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