Reactions of Iridium |
Reactions with water |
Iridium does not react with water under normal conditions. |
Reactions with air |
Iridium is largely immune to atmospheric attack. On heating with oxygen, iridium metal forms iridium (IV) oxide.
|
Ir(s) + O2(g)IrO2(s) |
Reactions with halogens |
Iridium reacts directly with fluorine to form the highly corrosive iridium(VI) fluoride. This material, with care, can be heated to form iridium(V) fluoride, which
has the structure [IrF5]4.
|
Ir(s) + 3F2(g)IrF6(s) |
The trihalides iridium(III) fluoride, iridium(III) chloride, iridium(III) bromide and iridium(III) iodide can be formed through
the direct reaction of the metal with the halogen under anhydrous (dry) conditions.
|
2Ir(s) + 3F2(g)2IrF3(s) |
2Ir(s) + 3Cl2(g)2IrCl3(s) |
2Ir(s) + 3Br2(g)2IrBr3(s) |
2Ir(s) + 3I2(g)2IrI3(s) |
Reactions with acids |
Iridium metal is notably inert to reaction with acids, including aqua regia (a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid known for its ability to dissolve gold metal).
|