Uses
Beryllium fluoride is used in biochemistry, particularly protein crystallography, since it binds in some of the same ways as phosphate does in human tissues. ADP and beryllium fluoride together tend to bind to ATP sites and inhibit protein action, making
Preparation
Beryllium bromide has the formula BeBr2. It is very
hygroscopic and is soluble in water. It has the molecular
weight of 168.821 g/mol. The structure has not been
documented. Beryllium bromide can be prepared by
reacting Be metal with elemental bromine at temperatures
of 500°C–700°C:
Be＋Br2→BeBr2
Beryllium bromide is also formed when beryllium
oxide with HBr in aqueous solution or hydrogen
bromide in the gas phase:
BeO＋2HBr→BeBr2＋H2O
This bromide compound was first prepared by Wohler
(1828) by the action of bromine vapor on the metal
and also upon a mixture of carbon and beryllium oxide.Berthemot (1831) obtained it in solution by dissolving
the oxide in hydrobromic acid. Humpridge (1883) also
prepared it by acting on a mixture of the oxide and
carbon with dry bromine.
The anhydrous bromide is always obtained by sublimation
as colorless white crystals.
