General Description
A yellow to dark red liquid. Insoluble in water and denser than water. Very toxic by inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption. Flash point 5°F. Used to make other chemicals.
Reactivity Profile
Organometallics, such as IRON PENTACARBONYL, are reactive with many other groups. Incompatible with acids and bases. Organometallics are good reducing agents and therefore incompatible with oxidizing agents. Often reactive with water to generate toxic or flammable gases. A brown pyrophoric powder is produced by the combination of the carbonyl with acetic acid containing greater than 5% of water.
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable. IRON PENTACARBONYL(13463-40-6) is spontaneously flammable in air, [R. Kamo, IIT Progs. Rept. 1, p. 23(1962)]. Insoluble in water.
Health Hazard
Toxicity of this compound is high via all routes of entry. Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin) and circulatory collapse may occur after exposure. Death may result. Pneumonitis and injury to the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system may also occur.
Fire Hazard
This material may be ignited by heat, sparks, or flames. Vapors may travel to ignition source and flash back. Containers may explode in the heat of fire. Evolution of carbon monoxide may create a poison hazard. This material presents a vapor explosion and poison hazard indoors, outdoors, or in sewers. Evolves carbon monoxide on exposure to air or to light. Emits carbon monoxide when heated to decomposition. Avoid acetic acid, water, nitrogen oxide, transition metal halides, and zinc and IRON PENTACARBONYL burns in air. Decomposes in acids and alkalies. Protect from light and air.
Chemical Properties
yellow-orange to brown liquid which
Uses
As strong reducing agent; in manufacture
of high-frequency coils used in radios and
televisions; as antiknock agent in motor fuels
Uses
It is used to produce carbonyl iron (finelydivided iron) for high frequency coils andalso for radio and television (Merck 1996).It is also used as a catalyst in many organicsyntheses and as an antiknock agent in motorfuels.
Uses
To make finely divided iron, so-called carbonyl iron, which is used in the manufacture of powdered iron cores for high frequency coils used in the radio and television industry; as antiknock agent in motor fuels; as catalyst and reagent in organic reactions.
Purification Methods
It is a pale yellow viscous liquid which is PYROPHORIC and readily absorbed by the skin. HIGHLY TOXIC (protect from light and air). It should be purified in a vacuum line by distilling and collecting in a trap at -96o (toluene-Dry ice slush). It has been distilled at atmospheric pressure (use a very efficient fume cupboard). At 180o/atmospheric pressure it decomposes to give Fe and CO. In UV light in pet ether it forms Fe2(CO)9 (see previous entry). [Hagen et al. Inorg Chem 17 1369 1978, Ewens et al. Trans Faraday Soc 35 6811 1939.]
