Talk:Sodium borohydride

L-selectride is not the same as NaBH4

Thats correct, and therefore the article says: "The reagent known as L-Selectride, lithium tri-sec-butylborohydride),[...]" ChristianB 16:42, 5 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Yep, many articles also cover closely related compounds that does not imply that the compounds are identical, I will recover the redirect. V8rik 17:13, 5 July 2007 (UTC)

While doing research in anticipation of working with this particular chemical, I've noticed that the MSDS sheets for Sigma-Aldrich (MSDS link at right), Arcos Organics and the chemistry department at Oxford list 400°C as the melting point (or decomposition point, I guess), with no boiling point. Can anyone confirm/deny/correct? William Ito 21:13, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

The NFPA-704 rating seems to be 3 in the latest edition of Bretherick's handbook. Do we know where the current information came from? Michael.A.Anthony (talk) 16:58, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

3D IMAGE OF NABH4
Could someone make a 3D image of this compound? I'd do it using Accelrys with Qutemol but, alas, I am using linux and my ATI Card won't correctly render in Qutmol.

Thanks in Advance,

User:Microswitch (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 04:33, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

Crystal structure
If anyone can find a paper on the crystal structure of NaBH4, I'll make an image of it.

Ben (talk) 20:47, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

Physical info
There is conflicting info about melting/boiling point, from the current infobox source and the MSDS. Can someone please fix this at some point? (NB: The info from the MSDS is currently stored as a hidden comment.) Fuzzform (talk) 20:10, 11 November 2008 (UTC)

NFPA 704 code "J"
Personal Protection J code from source is not recognised in NFPA 704 diamond template. It is not defined. -DePiep (talk) 19:01, 21 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Sigma shows Health hazard:3 Fire Hazard:0 Reactivity Hazard:2 Special hazard:W which makes a bit more sense to me, it wont burn by itself but it certainly will react with water. Things like this tend to vary from one region and supplier to another. As far as I know only the GHS codes are universal. Project Osprey (talk) 22:03, 21 August 2014 (UTC)
 * Please edit. I'm not that familiar with these sources (I got the one I mentioned from a recent editsummary). -DePiep (talk) 22:07, 21 August 2014 (UTC)

Solubility
The page currently gives solubilities for NaBH4 in MeOH and EtOH, which is backed-up by an authoritative sounding secondary source. However, would it not just react with these solvents? Project Osprey (talk) 13:40, 26 September 2014 (UTC)
 * Yes it does, but fairly slowly compared to the target reagents. MeOH is worse than EtOH.  If I had time, I would look for a cite on that point and cite it because your comment is one other must wonder about.  --Smokefoot (talk) 17:52, 26 September 2014 (UTC)
 * Done. Project Osprey (talk) 11:09, 29 September 2014 (UTC)

Sold as a solution?
''Sodium borohydride is a source of hydrogen or diborane, which are both flammable. Spontaneous ignition can result from solution of sodium borohydride in dimethylformamide. Bulk solutions of sodium borohydride are often prepared with excess sodium hydroxide, which is corrosive.''

I added a Citation Needed tag because I've never seen NaBH4 sold as a solution. Why would that even be done? And why would someone add it to DMF? Valgrus Thunderaxe (talk) 05:46, 8 December 2022 (UTC)
 * Those reactions and conditions are contrived (IMHO). To generate diborane one adds BF3, accidentally?  But it is true that most NaBH4 is sold as an aqueous solution.  It is mainly used in papermaking to generate dithionite, a reductive bleachant, and to make leuco dyes.  It is mainly made as a aqueous solution with NaOH.  Such solutions are more stable than the solid.  So much for what we get taught in organic chem. --Smokefoot (talk) 16:03, 8 December 2022 (UTC)