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Unlike the other group 2 metals, beryllium does not react with hydrogen. Instead, BeH2 is prepared from preformed beryllium(II) compounds. It was first synthesized in 1951 by treating dimethylberyllium, Be(CH3)2, with lithium aluminium hydride, LiAlH4.
Purer BeH2 forms from the pyrolysis of di-tert-butylberyllium, Be(C3)2 at 210°C.
Isolated molecules of BeH 2 (sometimes called dihydridoberyllium and written to emphasize the differences with the solid state) are only stable as a dilute gas. When condensed, unsolvated BeH 2 will spontaneously autopolymerise.
Free molecular BeH2 produced by high-temperature electrical discharge has been confirmed to have linear geometry with a Be-H bond length of 133.376 pm. Its hybridization is sp.
Condensed Beryllium hydride
BeH2 is usually formed as an amorphous white solid, but a hexagonal crystalline form with a higher density (~0.78 g/cm) was reported, prepared by heating amorphous BeH2 under pressure, with 0.5-2.5% LiH as a catalyst.
Subunit of structure of BeH2. Each Be is tetrahedral and each H is doubly bridging.
A more recent investigation found that crystalline beryllium hydride has a body-centred orthorhombicunit cell, containing a network of corner-sharing BeH4 tetrahedra, in contrast to the flat, hydrogen-bridged, infinite chains previously thought to exist in crystalline BeH2.
Studies of the amorphous form also find that it consists of a network of corner shared tetrahedra.
Beryllium hydride reacts with trimethylamine, N(CH3)3 to form a dimeric adduct with bridging hydrides. However, with dimethylamine, HN(CH3)2 it forms a trimeric beryllium diamide, 3, and hydrogen.
^ Egon Wiberg, Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001) Inorganic Chemistry, Elsevier ISBN0-12-352651-5, p. 1048
Glenn D. Barbaras; Clyde Dillard; A. E. Finholt; Thomas Wartik; K. E. Wilzbach & H. I. Schlesinger (1951). "The Preparation of the Hydrides of Zinc, Cadmium, Beryllium, Magnesium and Lithium by the Use of Lithium Aluminum Hydride". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 73 (10): 4585–4590. doi:10.1021/ja01154a025.
Sujatha Sampath; Kristina M. Lantzky; Chris J. Benmore; Jörg Neuefeind & Joan E. Siewenie (2003). "Structural quantum isotope effects in amorphous beryllium hydride". J. Chem. Phys. 119 (23): 12499. Bibcode:2003JChPh.11912499S. doi:10.1063/1.1626638.
Sharp, Stephanie B.; Gellene, Gregory I. (23 November 2000). "σ Bond Activation by Cooperative Interaction with ns Atoms: Be + n H 2, n = 1−3". The Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 104 (46): 10951–10957. doi:10.1021/jp002313m.
Shepherd Jr., Lawrence H.; Ter Haar, G. L.; Marlett, Everett M. (April 1969). "Amine complexes of beryllium hydride". Inorganic Chemistry. 8 (4): 976–979. doi:10.1021/ic50074a051.
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