GROUP IIIA: "The Boron Family"

B Al Ga In Tl Nh

A. PROPERTIES

1. Physical Properties
- All are metals except for Boron which is a non-metal.
- Solid Gallium floats in liquid gallium, which is unusual for a metal.

2. Atomic Properties:
- Have an electron configuration that ends in ns2np1
- Adopts oxidation states +3 or +1. The +3 oxidation states are favorable except for the
heavier elements, such as Tl, which prefer the +1 oxidation state due to its stability;
this is known as the inert pair effect.
- more metallic from top to bottom within the group.

3. Chemical Properties:
- Boron is analogous to silicon & is unreactive towards air, acids, and alkalis at
moderate temperatures.
- Aluminium forms a thin layer of oxide which makes it unreactive to other
substances.
- Aluminium reacts with mineral acids and aqueous alkalis thus shows amphoteric
Character, which increases as the atomic weight increases
- This family reacts with halogens to form halides and with oxygen to form oxides.

***FLAME TEST:

Boron: Bright green

Aluminum: Colorless
Gallium: Violet
Indium: Dark Blue
Thallium: Bright green
Nihonium:
 GROUP 3A: BORON (B)

 Non-metallic
 *Combinations of Oxygen: Boric acid, borax, tincal, boracite, borocalcite, colemanite, etc.
 Amorphous, brown powder, stable in air, density of 2.45
 Sublimes: Electric Arc; Burns: very strong ignition
 Room temp: poor conductor; Temp rises: Electrical conductivity rapidly increases

COMPOUND FORMULA USE/S

Boric acid
 mild antiseptics*
“Acidum Boricum” H3BO3 /
 anti-inflammation*
“Boracic acid” B(OH)3
 washing powders

Boron trioxide /  petroleum production

B2O3
Boron oxide  heat-resistant glassware; glasses;

Sodium borate  cleaning compounds

Na 2 B 4 O 7
“Borax”  color–safe bleaches

Boron Trifluoride/  Lubricants and lubricant additives

BF3
Trifluoroborane  Adhesives and sealant chemicals

Boron Carbide B4C / CB4  Abrasive and refractory

Boron Nitride  Abrasive and refractory material

BN
“Borazon / Elbor“  laboratory reagent

Diboranes / Boroethane /
B2H6  Reducing agent
Diboron hexahydride

Boron Trichloride/
 dopant
Trichloroborane / Borane / BCl3
 agent in etching
Trichoroboron

 pharmaceutical, chemical, & organic

Boron Triiodide BI3
intermediate

Boron Arsenide BAs  semiconductor; solar cells

Boron(III) Phosphide BP  semiconductor

 GROUP 3A: ALUMINUM (Al)

 Third most abundant element in the Earth's crust; most abundant metal;
 *Compounds: Bauxite – complicated mixture of compounds consisting of aluminum, oxygen,
and other elements; primary commercial source for aluminum
 Silvery-white, lightweight metal SG= 2.7 @ 20 degrees; ductile and malleable*(100-150
degrees)

COMPOUND FORMULA USE/S

Aluminum chloride  Deliquescent

>Hydrated AlCl3∙H2O  Checks persistent diarrhea

“aluminum chlorohydrate”  *External: general astringent & antiseptic
 Topical antiperspirant
 Deodorant

 Catalytic agent
>Anhydrous AlCl3  Petroleum refining
 used to waterproof fabrics
Aluminum hydroxide
 mordant

 Antacid
>Gel
 Protective: Txt of PUD
“Gelatum Alumini Al(OH)3
 Hyperchloryhdia
Hydroxidi”
“Colloidal Aluminum
 Manufacture of Gel*
hydroxide”
 External: mild astringent; desiccant;
>Dried
dusting powder
 Antacid
Aluminum phosphate
AlPO4  Astringent
>Gel
 Demulcent
Aluminum silicate  Stabilizes emulsion
>Hydrated  Detergent in cleaners
“Bentonite”
Aluminum sulfate Al2(SO4)3  Antiseptic
“Alum” / “Alumen”  Astringent

1) Aluminum potassium sulfate AlK(SO4)2 .

 Used in preparing alum precipitated
“Potassium Alum” 12H20
diphtheria toxoid, alum precipitated
“Potash Alum”
2) Aluminum ammonium diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and alum
sulfate AlNH4-(SO4)2 . precipitated tetanus toxoid.
“Ammonium Alum” 12H20
Aluminum borate
Aluminum borohydride
Aluminum fluorosilicate
 Zinc blende (Sphalerite) : France (Gallia)
 White, Lustrous, Tough metal, May be cut with Knife
 Melts at : 30.8 degrees Celsius
COMPOUND
Gallium(III) Nitrate
Gallium(III) Sulfate
Octadecahydrate
Gallium(III) Bromide
Gallium arsenide
Gallium trichloride
Gallium oxide
“gallium sesquioxide”
“Gallia”
Al 2 O 3 B 2 O 3  production of glass and ceramics
Al(BH 4 ) 3  additive in jet fuels
 production of synthetic gemstones, glass,
Al 2 (SiF 6 ) 3
and ceramics
GROUP 3A: GALIUM (Ga)
FORMULA USE/S
 a drug (Ganite®) used to treat
symptomatic hypercalcemia
Ga(NO3)3C
secondary to cancer
Ga2(SO4)3.18H2O  Act as a solid acid catalyst
 water treatment
 chemical analysis
GaBr3  ultra high purity for certain crystal
growth applications
 diodes are used to detect X-rays
 used to make light-emitting diode
GaAs
(LED)
 transistors
 Solvents
 Intermediates
 Batteries
GaCl3
 Main precursor to most derivatives
of gallium
 reagent in organic synthesis
 Vacuum Deposition Semiconductor
Ga2O3
electronics Chemical Intemediate
Indium gallium arsenide
phosphide
Gallium trifluoride
Gallium telluride
Gallium Selenide
Gallium(III) Acetate
 1863: Reich and Richter
 Named after its brilliant indigo-blue lines of its spectrum
 Indium is a grayish-white metal that is softer than lead.
 It is one of the post-transition metals, which tend to be softer and conduct more poorly than
the transition metals.
COMPOUND
Indium trichloride
Indium hydroxide
Indium oxide
“indium sesquioxide”
InGaAsP  semiconductor and optoelectronic
 source for use in oxygen-sensitive
GaF3 applications
 metal production
 semiconducting compound of the III-
GaTe VI type that crystallizes in a lattice
structure
 nonlinear opticalmaterial
Ga2Se3
and photoconductor
 precursors for production of ultra
Ga(C2H3O2)3 high purity compounds catalysts
 nanoscale materials
GROUP 3A: INDIUM (In)
FORMULA USE/S
 an additive to alkaline batteries to reduce
outgassing and improve operational
InCl3 efficiency of the battery when under
electrical load.
 used in a variety of industries, including the
In(OH)3 manufacturing of flat panel components.
 resistive element in integrated circuits.
In2O3
  is considered the premium transparent
conductive oxides (TCOs), having superior
Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)
In2O3 • SnO2 conductivity and transparency, stability and
“tin-doped indium oxide”
ease of patterning to form transparent
circuitry.

 used as a buffer layer in copper-indium-

gallium-diselenide (CIGS) photovoltaic solar
Indium sulfide In2S3 cells, where it replaces the toxic material
cadmium sulfide.

 decomposes to indium oxide when heated.

Indium acetate C6H9InO6

 Used in the production of indium or indium

Indium sulfate In2(SO4)3 substances.

GROUP 3A: THALLIUM (Tl)

 1861: Crookes
 Greek thallos, meaning “green twig”
 Widely distributed in nature than either Ga or In.
 Leaden-colored metal with a hardness equal to Na.
 Very toxic and its use in in medicine is unnecessary because of the evidence that the vapor is
both teratogenic and carcinogenic.

COMPOUND FORMULA USE/S

Thallium Hexafluorophosphate TlPF6  used in acetonitrile

 used in room-temperature detectors of X-

Thallium(III) Bromide/
TlBr rays, gamma-rays and blue light, as well as
Thallous bromide
in near-infrared optics.

Thallium(III) Nitrate/  It is a strong oxidizing agent useful in

Tl(NO3)3
Thallic nitrate organic synthesis

 used in devices to detect infrared radiation

Thallium(I) Iodide TlI
 Tl2(SO4)3  was used as rodenticide
 It is a precursor to thallium(I) sulfide
Thallium(III) Sulfate (Tl2S), which exhibits high electrical
conductivity when exposed to infrared
light.
 has been used in a bolometer for infrared
Thallium(III) Selenide Tl2Se3 detection.

Thallium(III) Hydroxide/
Tl(OH)3  is a very weak base
Thallic hydroxide

 was once used medicinally as a topical

Thallium(I) Acetate/ depilatory, and
TlCH₃COO
Thallous acetate  treating venereal disease such as syphilis
or gonorrhea.

Thallium(I) Chromate Tl2CrO4  manufacture of pigments

 An additive in the manufacture of specialty

Thallium(III) Dichromate Tl2(Cr2O7)3
glass products

Thallium(I) Bromate  organic intermediate.

Thallium(III) Chlorate Tl2(CO3)3  oxidizing agent.

 semiconductor used in high power, high
frequency applications and in laser and
Thallium(III) Phosphide TlP
other photo diodes.

 radiopharmaceutical;
 used in adults to help diagnose heart
Thallium(I) Chloride/
TlCl disease (eg. coronary artery disease, heart
Thallous chloride
attack)

Thallium(I) Hydroxide/
TlOH  strong base; use for analysis; indicator
Thallous hydroxide
Thallium(I) Sulfide/  used in devices to detect infrared
Tl2S
Thallous sulfide radiation; sometimes used in photocells
Thallium(I) Carbonate/  used for analysis (testing for carbon
Tl2CO3
Thallous carbonate disulfide), artificial diamonds.
 GROUP 3A: NIHONIUM (Nh)

 Alternative titles: eka-thallium, element 113, Nh, Ununtrium, Uut

 An artificial element that has been used to study cold and hot fusion, and decay products.
 Not present in the environment.
 Discovered in 2003 by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna, Russia) and the
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, California, USA)
 Produced in 2004 at the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science in Saitama,
Japan
 Formed when Bismuth-209 was fused with Zinc-70
 Chemical Properties: may be similar to thallium
 November 2016: recognized by IUPAC- named after the Japanese word for Japan.
 Little is known about the element, its appearance is unknown, and it has no known use