Cobalt(III) hydroxide or cobaltic hydroxide is a

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one ele ...

with formula or . It is an

ionic compound In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound composed of ions held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonding. The compound is neutral overall, but consists of positively charged ions called cations and negatively charged ...

, with

trivalent In chemistry, the valence (US spelling) or valency (British spelling) of an element is the measure of its combining capacity with other atoms when it forms chemical compounds or molecules. Description The combining capacity, or affinity of a ...

cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element with the symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. The free element, ...

cation An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...

s and

hydroxyl In chemistry, a hydroxy or hydroxyl group is a functional group with the chemical formula and composed of one oxygen atom covalently bonded to one hydrogen atom. In organic chemistry, alcohols and carboxylic acids contain one or more hydrox ...

anion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...

s . The compound is known in two structurally different forms, "brownish-black" and "green". The brownish-black form is a stable solid and can be prepared by reaction of water solutions of

cobalt(II) chloride Cobalt(II) chloride is an inorganic compound of cobalt and chlorine, with the formula . The compound forms several hydrates ·''n'', for ''n'' = 1, 2, 6, and 9. Claims of the formation of tri- and tetrahydrates have not been confirmed.M. T. Saug ...

and

sodium hydroxide Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions . Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkal ...

, followed by

oxidation Redox (reduction–oxidation, , ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a ...

with

ozone Ozone (), or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula . It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope , breaking down in the lo ...

.Pankratov, D.A., Veligzhanin, A.A., and Zubavichus, Y.V. (2013): "Structural Features of Green Cobalt(III) Hydroxide". ''Russian Journal of Inorganic Chemistry'', volume 58, issue 1, pages 67–73. The green form, formerly thought to be cobalt(II)

peroxide In chemistry, peroxides are a group of compounds with the structure , where R = any element. The group in a peroxide is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. The nomenclature is somewhat variable. The most common peroxide is hydrogen ...

, apparently requires

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is t ...

as a

catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

. It can be prepared by adding

hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution (3% ...

to a solution of

in 96% ethanol at –30 to –35°C, then adding a 15% solution of sodium carbonate in

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

with intense stirring. The resulting dark green powder is fairly stable at liquid nitrogen temperature, but at room temperature it turns dark brown within a few days.Pankratov, D.A., Portachenko, T.A., and Perfil’ev, Y.D. (2008): "Emission Mössbauer Study of 'Cobalt Peroxide'". ''Moscow University Chemical Bulletin'', volume 63, issue 5, pages 292–296.

Natural occurrence

As of 2020, Cobalt(III) hydroxide is unknown among the known mineral species. However, heterogenite, CoO(OH), is known.

References

{{cobalt compounds Cobalt(III) compounds Hydroxides

Natural occurrence

See also

References