Sodium tetracarbonylcobaltate is the
organocobalt compound
Organocobalt chemistry is the chemistry of organometallic compounds containing a carbon to cobalt chemical bond. Organocobalt compounds are involved in several organic reactions and the important biomolecule vitamin B12, vitamin B12 has a cobalt-c ...
with the formula NaCo(CO)
4. It is a common derivative of the tetracarbonylcobaltate anion,
o(CO)4sup>-, although several other alkali metal salts are known. The tetracarbonylcobaltate anion is the conjugate base of
cobalt tetracarbonyl hydride
Cobalt tetracarbonyl hydride is an organometallic compound with the formula H Co(CO)4. It is a volatile, yellow liquid that forms a colorless vapor and has an intolerable odor. The compound readily decomposes upon melt and ''in absentia'' of high ...
, HCo(CO)
4.
According to
X-ray crystallography
X-ray crystallography is the experimental science of determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to Diffraction, diffract in specific directions. By measuring th ...
, the Co(CO)
4- center is nearly tetrahedral (isoelectronic with Ni(CO)
4).
Conventionally, this compound is prepared by reduction of
dicobalt octacarbonyl
Dicobalt octacarbonyl is an organocobalt compound with composition . This metal carbonyl is used as a reagent and catalyst in organometallic chemistry and organic synthesis, and is central to much known organocobalt chemistry. It is the parent ...
with
sodium amalgam
Sodium amalgam, with the common formula Na(Hg), is an alloy of mercury and sodium. The term amalgam is used for alloys, intermetallic compounds, and solutions (both solid solutions and liquid solutions) involving mercury as a major component. ...
:
[
:
It reacts with mercuric cyanide to give a HgCo2 derivative:]
References
{{Cobalt compounds
Carbonyl complexes
Organocobalt compounds