magnesium selenide Chemical Properties

Density 

4.21

solubility 

reacts with H2O

form 

brown cubic crystals

color 

brown cubic crystals, crystalline

Water Solubility 

decomposes in H2O [MER06]

EPA Substance Registry System

Magnesium selenide (MgSe) (1313-04-8)

Safety Information

RIDADR 

3288

HazardClass 

6.1(b)

PackingGroup 

III

magnesium selenide Usage And Synthesis

Description

Magnesium selenide has the molecular formula of MgSe and the molecular weight of 103.2652 g/mol. It is a stable, light gray to brown crystalline powder with a refractive index, πD=2.44. Its density is 4.21 g/cm³ and it decomposes in water:
MgSe+ 2H2O ? Mg(OH)2+H2Se
Thus, it cannot be prepared by bubbling H2Se gas through a soluble Mg²⁺ aqueous solution. MgSe can be prepared by a variety of other methods. Among the easiest are the reaction of magnesium oxide and selenium. Alternately, the two elements can be reacted together to form the selenide:
MgO(solid)+ Se(solid)+ heat ? MgSe(solid)+ SeO2(gas)
Mg(solid)+ Se(solid)+ heat ? MgSe(solid)
In the first reaction, Se melts at 225°C while the MgO is stable. Selenium dioxide sublimes at 320°C. The reaction is carried out in an inert atmosphere at about 550°C. If a tube furnace is used, crystals of SeO2 appear at the cool end of the tube. In the second reaction, an inert atmosphere is mandatory and the reaction temperature is also 550°C (which is below the melting point of Mg metal).
Magnesium selenide has the CAS number of 1313- 04-8. It is not stable in air and reacts with moisture to form H2Se, a foul-smelling and toxic gas:
MgSe+H2O ? Mg(OH)2 +H2Se

Chemical Properties

light brown powder(s); unstable in air [MER06]

magnesium selenide(1313-04-8)Related Product Information

• Radium Selenide
• CALCIUM SELENIDE
• Beryllium Selenite
• beryllium selenide
• MAGNESIUM SELENITE
• Barium selenite
• CALCIUM SELENITE
• Radium Selenite
• STRONTIUM SELENITE
• BARIUM SELENIDE
• STRONTIUM SELENIDE
• magnesium selenide