Bismuth Compounds

Abstract

Bismuth is the fifth member of the nitrogen family of elements and like its congeners possesses five electrons in its outermost shell, (6 s 2 )(6 p 3 ). In many compounds, the bismuth atom utilizes only the three 6 p electrons in bond formation and retains the two 6 s electrons as an inert pair. Compounds are also known where bismuth is bonded to four, five, or six other atoms. Many bismuth compounds do not have simple molecular structures and exist in the solid state as polymeric chains or sheets. Inorganic compounds of bismuth include bismuthine, bismuthides, bismuth halides, bismuth oxide halides, bismuth oxides and bismuthates, higher oxides of bismuth and related compounds, sulfides and related compounds, and bismuth salts. In a manner similar to phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony, the bismuth atom can be either tri‐ or pentacovalent. One primary and one secondary bismuthine, methylbismuthine, CH 3 BiH 2 , and dimethylbismuthine, (CH 3 ) 2 BiH, respectively, are prepared by the lithium aluminum hydride reduction of methyldichlorobismuthine, CH 3 BiCl 2 , and dimethylchlorobismuthine, respectively. Tertiary bismuthines appear to have a number of uses in synthetic organic chemistry and for a number of other industrial purposes. Chloro‐, dichloro‐, bromo‐, and dibromobismuthines are best prepared by the reaction of a tertiary bismuthine and bismuth trichloride or tribromide. Tetraalkyl‐ and tetraaryldibismuthines can be obtained by the reaction of a sodium dialkyl‐ or diarylbismuthide and a 1,2‐dihaloethane. Dibismuthines tend to be thermally unstable. They also are very sensitive to oxidation. Organobismuth(V) compounds have found considerable use as oxidizing agents. After the tertiary bismuthines, the triarylbismuth dihalides constitute the most important class of organobismuth compounds and are by far the largest class of compounds containing pentacovalent bismuth. Two trialkylbismuth dihalides have been prepared, cis ‐tripropenylbismuth dibromide, C 9 H 15 BiBr 2 , and trans ‐tripropenylbismuth dibromide, C 9 H 15 BiBr 2 . In addition to use in organic synthesis and limited industrial use, triarylbismuth dihalides have been used as catalysts for the carbonation of epoxides to form cyclic carbonates. A number of bismuthonium ylides, have been prepared and their reactions studied. A number of pentaarylbismuth compounds are known. Pentaphenylbismuth, C 30 H 25 Bi, is a violet‐colored, crystalline compound that decomposes spontaneously after standing for several days in a dry nitrogen atmosphere. It has been studied as a reagent in organic synthesis where it can act either as an oxidizing or an arylating agent. Antibiotics have made bismuth compounds completely obsolete for the treatment of syphilis. Bismuth subsalicylate, Pepto‐Bismol, is a basic salt of varying composition, corresponding approximately to o ‐HOC 6 H 4 CO 2 (BiO). Like a number of other insoluble bismuth preparations, it is not currently approved in the United States for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease but is under active investigation for this purpose. It does appear to be effective for the relief of mild diarrhea and for the prevention of travelers' diarrhea. Bismuth subcarbonate (basic bismuth carbonate) is a white or pale yellow powder that has been widely used as an antacid. De‐Nol, tripotassium dicitratobismuthate (bismuth subcitrate), is said to be very effective for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers. Bismuth subnitrate (basic bismuth nitrate) has been used as an antacid and in combination with iodoform as a wound dressing. Bismuth subgallate (basic bismuth gallate), Dermatol, a bright yellow powder has been employed as a dusting powder in some skin disorders and for the treatment of hemorrhoids.

Stripping Voltammetry with Bismuth Modified Graphite‐Epoxy Composite Electrodes

“…The reproducibility of the Bi-GECE was also tested and found as 2.99%, 1.56% and 2.19% for lead, cadmium and zinc, respectively. The difference in peak shapes (sharper for lead and cadmium) and in detection limits of these heavy metals can be explained by the binary and multi component fusing alloys formation of lead and cadmium with bismuth [27]. According to these results, it can be deduced that zinc competes with bismuth for the surface site rather than involving an alloy formation with this metal.…”

The Fabrication and Characterization of a Bismuth Nanoparticle Modified Boron Doped Diamond Electrode and Its Application to the Simultaneous Determination of Cadmium(II) And Lead(II)

“…These BiFE offered a highly comparable ASV performance to that of mercury electrodes, due to the ability of bismuth to form multicomponent "fusible" alloys with various heavy metals, similar to the way in which metal-to-mercury amalgams form on the surface of MFEs [13]. The metalto-mercury amalgams are responsible for the superior analytical ASV performance of mercury electrodes, as the metals are concentrated onto the surface during the reductive preconcentration step [1,2,11].…”

PSoC-Stat: A single chip open source potentiostat based on a Programmable System on a Chip

“…To increase the sensitivity of the electrode, bismuth was added to the solution [ 63 ]. During the plating potential Bi 2+ will plate onto the electrode with Pb 2+ and form a “fused alloys” [ 64 ]. The electrode’s voltage is then ramped up to “strip” (oxidized) the ions off.…”