Scandium bromide

Scandium bromide, or ScBr3, is a trihalide, hygroscopic, water-soluble chemical compound of scandium and bromine.

Preparation and properties
ScBr3 is produced through the burning of scandium in bromine gas.


 * 2 Sc(s) + 3 Br2(g) → 2 ScBr3(s)

Scandium bromide can also be prepared by reacting excess hydrobromic acid with scandium oxide, and the hexahydrate can be crystallized from the solution. The thermal decomposition of hexahydrate can only yield scandium oxybromide (ScOBr) and scandium oxide. The anhydrous form can be produced by the reaction of bromine, scandium oxide and graphite in nitrogen gas.

Heating reaction between ammonium bromide and scandium oxide or scandium bromide hexahydrate, through (NH4)3ScBr6 intermediate, decomposes to obtain anhydrous scandium bromide.

Uses
Scandium bromide is used for solid state synthesis of unusual clusters such as Sc19Br28Z4, (Z=Mn, Fe, Os or Ru). These clusters are of interest for their structure and magnetic properties.