Potassium hydrogen fluoride Chemical Properties

Melting point:

239 °C(lit.)

Density 

2.37 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)

solubility 

insoluble in ethanol

form 

Crystals or Crystalline Powder

Specific Gravity

2.37

color 

White to light gray

Water Solubility 

39 g/100 mL (20 ºC)

Sensitive 

Hygroscopic

Merck 

14,7610

Exposure limits

ACGIH: TWA 2.5 mg/m3
NIOSH: IDLH 250 mg/m3

CAS DataBase Reference

7789-29-9(CAS DataBase Reference)

NIST Chemistry Reference

Potassium hydrogen fluoride(7789-29-9)

EPA Substance Registry System

Potassium bifluoride (7789-29-9)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

T,C

Risk Statements 

25-34

Safety Statements 

26-36/37/39-45-37-22

RIDADR 

UN 3421 8/PG 2

WGK Germany 

1

RTECS 

TS6650000

F 

3

Hazard Note 

Corrosive

TSCA 

Yes

HazardClass 

8

PackingGroup 

II

HS Code 

28261990

MSDS

• Language:English Provider:SigmaAldrich
• Language:English Provider:ACROS
• Language:English Provider:ALFA

Potassium hydrogen fluoride Usage And Synthesis

Description

Potassium hydrogen fluoride is used as an etchant to etch glass surface and it is used in the cleaning products. It is used as a fluorinating agent for fluorinated organic compounds, which could be applied as finishing agent for fabrics, components of extinguishing agents, electroplating bathes, lubricating oils, oxygen carriers in blood substitutes. For example, potassium hydrogen fluoride is used as fluorinating agent for ring opening of epoxides and cyclopropanes and in the synthesis of trifluoroborates from various organoborons. It may also serve as a fluoride ion source for the nucleophilic ring-opening reaction of epoxide.

References

[1] Gary A. Molander, David J. Cooper and Stephen W. Wright, Potassium Hydrogen Fluoride, e-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, 2001
[2] Bernd Basner, Houben-Weyl Methods of Organic Chemistry Vol. E 10b/1, 4th Edition, 1999
[3] Francis I. Onuska and Francis W. Karasek, Open Tubular Column Gas Chromatography in Environmental Sciences, 1984
[4] Michael Howe, Wheel cleaning composition containing acid fluoride salts, Patent “US 5556833 A”, 1996
[5] Grzegorz Lewandowski, Egbert Meissner and Eugeniusz Milchert, Special applications of fluorinated organic compounds, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2006, vol. 136, 385-391

Chemical Properties

WHITE TO LIGHT GREY CRYSTALS OR CRYSTALLINE POWDER

Uses

Potassium hydrogen fluoride is widely used as an etchant in glass and cleaning products. It finds an important application in the synthesis of special optical glass viz. crown and crown flint glass and as a catalyst for polymerization. It is involved in the manufacturing of wood preservatives, soldering agents and brazing. It is also used in the manufacturing of organic and inorganic fluorine compounds.

Uses

In the preparation of pure potassium fluoride; as an electrolyte in the manufacture of fluorine; frosting glass; treating coal to prevent slag formation; flux for silver solders; catalyst in the alkylation of benzene with olefins.

General Description

Colorless crystals, corrosive to tissues, etches glass.

Air & Water Reactions

Water soluble giving strongly acidic solutions.

Reactivity Profile

Acidic salts, such as Potassium hydrogen fluoride, are generally soluble in water. The resulting solutions contain moderate concentrations of hydrogen ions and have pH's of less than 7.0. They react as acids to neutralize bases. These neutralizations generate heat, but less or far less than is generated by neutralization of inorganic acids, inorganic oxoacids, and carboxylic acid. They usually do not react as either oxidizing agents or reducing agents but such behavior is not impossible.

Hazard

Corrosive to tissue.

Health Hazard

TOXIC; inhalation, ingestion or skin contact with material may cause severe injury or death. Contact with molten substance may cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Avoid any skin contact. Effects of contact or inhalation may be delayed. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution.

Fire Hazard

Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Some are oxidizers and may ignite combustibles (wood, paper, oil, clothing, etc.). Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated.

Safety Profile

A poison. Very corrosive and reactive. A corrosive irritant to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of F and K2O. See also FLUORIDES and HYDROFLUORIC ACID.

Purification Methods

It crystallises from water. It is very soluble in hot H2O and 41% at 21o. [Kwasnik in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I p 237 1963.]

Potassium hydrogen fluoride(7789-29-9)Related Product Information

• Pyridine hydrofluoride
• Potassium sorbate
• Potassium hydride
• Potassium Acetate
• Losartan potassium
• Ammonium hydrogen difluoride
• Potassium iodide
• Hydrogen
• Potassium sulfate
• Hydrogen fluoride
• Potassium persulfate
• Potassium fluoride dihydrate
• Sodium hydrogen difluoride
• Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
• Sodium pyrophosphate
• Potassium chloride
• Potassium fluoride
• Difluorochloromethane