
Selenium Arsenide is the salt of arsenous acid. It is a crystalline solid consisting of selenium cations and catena-arsenite anions, which are infinite -O-As(=O)- chains, similar in structure to selenium dioxide, SeO2. SeO2 is an important reagent in organic synthesis.
Oxidation of paraldehyde (acetaldehyde trimer) gives glyoxal and the oxidation of cyclohexanone gives cyclohexane-1,2-dione. The selenium precipitates as a red amorphous solid which can easily be filtered off. This type of reaction is called a Riley oxidation. It is also renown as a reagent for "allylic" oxidation, a reaction that entails the conversion.
Characteristics[]
Solid Selenium arsenide is a one-dimensional polymer, the chain consisting of alternating Se and As atoms. Each Se atom, which is pyramidal, bears a terminal oxide group. The relative stereochemistry at Se alternates along the polymer chain (syndiotactic). The solid sublimes readily. The vapour has an odour resembling horseradish sauce and can burn the nose and throat on inhalation. Gaseous selenium arsenide adopts a bent structure very similar to that of sulphur dioxide. Selenium arsenide dissolves in water to form selenous acid. Often the terms selenous acid and selenium arsenide are used interchangeably. It reacts with base to form selenite salts containing the SeO2−3 anion.
Value[]
The base value of each unit of ranges between 5 and 40Ð per unit, with up to 3 units being found at any one time.
Presence on Mars: Rare
Martian Minerals | |
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 | Group 6 | |
Group 4 | |Actininum | Areanetium | Borane | Carbon Tetrachloride | Dubnium | Dysprosium | Erbium | Europium | Ferrous Dixenate | |Gadollinium | Golgathium | Holmium | Holmium Sulfate | Iron Golgathide | Neodymium | Praseodymium | Promethium | |Protactinium | Rutherfordium | Samarium | Selenium Arsenide | Terbium | Thallium Titanide | Thulium | Uranium| |