Discovery and Synthesis
Zinc(II) hydride was first synthesised in 1947 by Hermann Schlesinger, via a reaction between dimethylzinc and lithium aluminium hydride; a process which was somewhat hazardous due to the pyrophoric nature of Zn(CH3)2.
- Zn(CH3)2 + 2 LiAlH4 → ZnH2 + 2 LiAlH3CH3
Later methods were predominantly salt metathesis reactions between zinc halides and alkali metal hydrides, which are significantly safer. Examples include:
- ZnBr2 + 2LiH → ZnH2 + 2LiBr
- ZnI2 + 2 NaH + → ZnH2 + 2NaI
- ZnI2 + 2 LiAlH4 → ZnH2 + AlH3 + 2LiI
Small quantities of gaseous zinc(II) hydride have also been produced by laser ablation of zinc under a hydrogen atmosphere and other high energy techniques. These methods have been used to assess it's gas phase properties.
Read more about this topic: Zinc Hydride
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