Chapter 12

Group 2: the alkaline earth metals

Physical Properties
Metals
Halides, oxides, hydroxides, salts of oxoacids
Complex ions in aqueous solution
Complexes with amido or alkoxy ligands
Diagonal relationships

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 Radium

http://www.orau.org/PTP/collection/quackcures/radbath.htm

Radium by Gretchen Grove

http://www.rsc.org/chemsoc/visualelements/pages/data/radium_data.html

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 Dolomite Olivine
CaCO3:MgCO3 (Mg,Fe)2SiO4

http://mineral.galleries.com/minera
ls/carbonat/dolomite/dolomite.htm
http://mineral.galleries.com/Minerals/
Magnesite MgCO3 Silicate/OLIVINE/OLIVINE.htm

Celestite
SrSO4

http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/
carbonat/magnesit/magnesit.htm Relative abundances in the Earth’s http://www.galleries.com/minerals
crust of the alkaline earth metals /sulfates/celestit/celestit.htm

Beryllium

•Small size and high charge density in Be2+

•Be is the only group 2 element that does not form a stable
complex with [EDTA]4-.
•Beryllium compounds tend to be covalent
•Beryllium occurs in the silicate mineral beryl Be3Al2[Si6O18], and
emerald and aquamarine.

Beryl Emerald X-ray Window

http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/silicate/beryl/beryl.htm http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/GEMSTONE/EMER http://www.berylliumproducts.com/CommercialXray.aspx

ALD/Emerald.htm

Be3Al2[Si6O18]

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 Recycling and magnesium uses

Calcium Uses

World production of CaO, Ca(OH)2, CaO*MgO,

Ca(OH)2*MgO, and Ca(OH)2*Mg(OH)2 is ~125,000 Mt.
CaO(s) + H2O(l)  Ca(OH)2(s) DrHo = -65 kJ mol-1
Ca(OH)2(s) + CO2(g)  CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)

Hoover Dam coccolithophore

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMDOG3AR2E_Protecting_1.html

CaF2 + H2SO4  2HF + Ca(HSO4)2

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Physical properties of the group 2 metals, M, and their ions, M2.

5
 Flame Tests

Ca (orange-red, but pale green when viewed through blue glass)

Sr (crimson, but biolet when viewed through blue glass)
Ba (apple-green)

Radioactive Isotopes of Sr

http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/e25_5.gif

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 Metals

Be Ca Sr Ba
http://www.americanelements.com/

2Be + O2  2 BeO (protective oxide coating)

Mg + 2H2O(g)  Mg(OH)2 + H2 (g)
M(NH3)  M(NH2) + 4NH3 + H2 (M = Ca,Sr, Ba)
2M + O2 –D 2MO
3M + N2 –D M3N2
8M + S8 –D 8MS
M + Cl2 –D MX2

Drying Agents and Desiccants

Drying agents for drying or

predrying solvents include
anhydrous MgSO4, CaCl2,
CaSO4, Na2SO4, K2CO3, which
are hygroscopic.
•some can be regenerated by
heating
•some react irreversibly with
H2O (e.g. Ca, Mg, CaH2)

CaH2 + 2 H2O → Ca(OH)2 + 2 H2

Drying agents for use in

desiccators include anhydrous
CaSO4, CaCl2, KOH, P2O5, which
are hygroscopic.

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 BeCl2

solid state polymeric structure

BeCl2 in the gas phase

[Be2Cl6]2

Structures of the monomeric group 2 metal dihalides, MX2

Fluorides are sparingly

soluble.
MgF2 Ksp = 7.42x10-11
CaF2 Ksp = 1.46x10-10
SrF2 Ksp = 4.33x10-9
BaF2 Ksp = 1.87x10-7

Slightly more solubility for

larger cations

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[MgBr2(diglyme)(THF)]

Mg
Br

Br

Production of ethyne (acetylene)

CaO + 3C ---2300 K  CaC2 + CO
CaC2 + 2H2O  Ca(OH)2 + C2H2
[MgBr2(THF)2]

Gypsum plasters

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 Hydroxides, peroxides, salts of oxoacids
Be(OH2)42+ +2H+, +2H2O ------ Be(OH)2 -----+2OH- Be(OH)42-

MO2  MO + 1/2 O2 (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)

MgO + H2O2  MgO2 (used in toothpastes)
basic beryllium nitrate
BeCl2  [NO]2[Be(NO3)4]  Be(NO3)2  Be4(m4-O)(m-O2NO)6

[Be(OH2)4][O2CC≡CCO2]

Be
Hydrogen bonding in
a beryllium complex

basic beryllium acetate,

[Be4((m4-O)(m-O2CMe)6]

[Sr(OH2)8]2 porphyrin chlorophyll a

[Ca2{N(SiMe3)2}2 {m-N(SiMe3)2}2] Ca9(m3-O)8(m-O)8O20

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 Diagonal relationships – Li-Mg, Be-Al

CaC2 + N2 ---1300 K  CaNCN + C

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 Desulfurization

SO2 + H2O ⇌ H+ + [HSO3]-

H+ + [HSO3]- + 1/2 O2  2H+ + SO42-

2H+ + SO42- + Ca(OH)2  CaSO4*2H2O

or

2H+ + SO42- +H2O + CaCO3  CaSO4*2H2O + CO2

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