Tungsten oxytetrafluoride

Tungsten oxytetrafluoride is an inorganic compound with the formula. It is a colorless diamagnetic solid. The compound is one of many oxides of tungsten. It is usually encountered as product of the partial hydrolysis of tungsten hexafluoride.

Structure

As confirmed by X-ray crystallography, crystallizes as a tetramer. The oxides are terminal, and four of the fluorides are bridging. Its structure is similar to those for niobium pentafluoride and tantalum pentafluoride. In contrast, molybdenum oxytetrafluoride adopts a polymeric structure, although again the fluorides bridge and the oxides are terminal.
In the gas state, this molecule is a monomer. It can form complexes with acetonitrile and other compounds.

Preparation

Tungsten oxytetrafluoride can be synthesized by the reaction of fluorine and tungsten trioxide.
It can also be obtained by treating tungsten with a mixture of oxygen and fluorine at high temperatures. Partial hydrolysis of tungsten hexafluoride also produces.
The reaction of tungsten(VI) oxytetrachloride and hydrogen fluoride also produces.
can also prepared by the reaction of lead(II) fluoride and tungsten trioxide at 700 °C.
Tungsten oxytetrafluoride hydrolyzes into tungstic acid.