Boron phosphate

Synthesis

Boron phosphate is synthesized from phosphoric acid and boric acid at a temperature range from 80 °C to 1200 °C. The relatively cold treatment produces a white amorphous powder, which is converted to a microcrystalline product when heated at about 1000 °C for 2 hours.

The main reaction of the process is:

:H3BO3 + H3PO4 → BPO4 + 3 H2O

New ways of synthesizing the compound have also been reported, such as hydrothermal and microwave synthesis.

Due to the particular industrial interest of boron phosphate, other methods are used as well:

• Phosphoric acid and triethyl borate
• Triethyl phosphate and boron trichloride
• Diammonium phosphate acid and borax heated to 1000 °C
• Boric acid and phosphorus pentoxide (hydrothermal)

Structure

If obtained at pressure, the ordinary structure is isomorphous with the β-cristobalite, while subjecting it to high pressure is obtained a compound isomorphic with α-quartz. The structure of AlPO4, berlinite, is isomorphous with α-quartz.

Applications

It is used as a catalyst for dehydration and other reactions in organic synthesis. Also, it serves as a source of phosphates for exchange reactions in the solid state to obtain metal phosphates.

References

References

1. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/83329#section=IUPAC-Name&fullscreen=true
2. [https://datasheets.scbt.com/sc-227516.pdf Boron phosphate] datasheets.scbt.com
3. Corbridge DEC 2013, ''Phosphorus: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Technology,'' 6th ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, {{ISBN. 978-1-4398-4088-7
4. (1904). "Ueber die Bestimmung der Borsäure als Phosphat". Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft.
5. Baykal, A. (2001). "Hydrothermal and microwave synthesis of boron phosphate, BPO₄". Turkish Journal of Chemistry.
6. (1959). "New high pressure modifications of BPO₄ and BAsO₄". Acta Crystallographica.
7. (1965). "Surface Chemistry and Catalytic Properties of Boron Phosphate: 1. Surface Area and Acidity". Canadian Journal of Chemistry.