Cupric fluoride is a white crystalline solid; monoclinic crystals; turns blue in moist air; sparingly soluble in water (hydrolyzes in hot water). The dihydrate is blue monoclinic crystal;slightly soluble in water.
Copper(II) fluoride is used in cathodes in nonaqueous galvanic cells, such as high energy batteries. It also is used as a fluorinating agent. The dihydrate is used in welding and brazing fluxes and is added to cast iron to improve its strength. Another application of this compound is as opacifier in ceramics, glasses and enamels.
Copper(II) fluoride is prepared by direct fluorination of copper at high temperatures:
Cu + F2 → CuF2
It also may be prepared by passing hydrogen fluoride gas over copper(II) oxide at 400°C:
CuO + 2HF→ CuF2 + H2O
Alternatively, it may be made by treating copper carbonate with hydrofluoric acid followed by crystallization.
CuCO3 + 2HF(aq) → CuF2 + H2O + CO2
Copper(II) fluoride loses fluorine as it melts. At 950°C it converts to copper( I) fluoride (cuprous fluoride), CuF:
2CuF2 →2CuF + F2
Also, when it is heated at 1,200°C in an atmosphere of hydrogen fluoride, copper( I) fluoride is produced.
Reaction with water is slow, forming a hydrate. The product decomposes slowly at ambient temperature with liberating hydrogen fluoride, leaving a basic fluoride, CuFOH. The dihydrate hydrolyzes to oxyfluoride Cu(OF)2 in hot water.
Cupric fluoride is moderately toxic by ingestion and other routes of exposure.
Cupric fluoride is blue powder
Cathodes in nonaqueous galvanic cells, high temp. fluorinating agent.Copper(II) fluoride is used in the preparation of fluorobenzene by reacting with benzene. It is also used in galvanic cells, high-temperature fluorinating agent and fluxing iron castings. Further, it is used as an efficient catalyst in Chan-Lam-Evans coupling reaction to synthesis the diaryl- ether compounds.
Ceramics, enamels, flux in metallurgy, highenergy batteries, fluorinating agent.
The anhydrous form, CuF2, is also available.
Copper fluoride is a monoclinic weak ferromagnet. The structural properties were investigated by neutron diffraction.
