Sodium polonide

Sodium polonide is a radioactive chemical compound with the formula Na₂Po. This salt is a polonide, a set of very chemically stable compounds of polonium.^[2][3] Due to the difference in electronegativity (ΔEN) between sodium and polonium (≈ 1.1 under the Pauling system) and the slight non-metallic character of polonium, it is intermediate between intermetallic phases and ionic compounds.

Sodium polonide

Crystal structure of sodium polonide __ Na+     __ Po2−
Names
Preferred IUPAC name Sodium polonide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
InChI InChI=1S/2Na.Po/q2*+1;-2
SMILES [Na+].[Na+].[Po-2]
Properties
Chemical formula	Na2Po
Molar mass	254.96 g/mol
Appearance	greyish[1]
Related compounds
Other anions	Sodium oxide Sodium sulfide Sodium selenide Sodium telluride
Other cations	Polonium hydride Lithium polonide Potassium polonide
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Production

This salt may be produced from the reaction between aqueous polonium hydride and sodium metal:^[2][3]

H₂Po + 2 Na → Na₂Po + H₂

This method of synthesis is hampered by the chemical instability of hydrogen polonide.

Sodium polonide may also be produced by heating sodium and polonium together at 300–400 °C.^[1]

Crystal structure

Like lithium polonide and potassium polonide, sodium polonide has the antifluorite structure.^[2][3]

References

1. Bagnall, K. W. (1962). "The Chemistry of Polonium". Advances in Inorganic Chemistry and Radiochemistry. New York: Academic Press. pp. 197–230. ISBN 9780120236046. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
2. Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1984). Chemistry of the Elements. Oxford: Pergamon Press. p. 899. ISBN 978-0-08-022057-4.
3. Moyer, Harvey V. (1956), "Chemical Properties of Polonium", in Moyer, Harvey V. (ed.), Polonium, Oak Ridge, Tenn.: United States Atomic Energy Commission, pp. 33–96, doi:10.2172/4367751, TID-5221.