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Copper(I) acetylide
Encyclopedia
Copper acetylide, or cuprous acetylide, is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula Cu
2C
2. It is a heat and shock sensitive high explosive, more sensitive than silver acetylide
. It is a metal acetylide
. It is similar to silver acetylide
and calcium carbide
, though it is not called carbide in literature. Though not practically useful due to high sensitivity and reactivity towards water, it is interesting as a curiosity because it is one of the very few explosives that do not liberate any gaseous products upon detonation.
Copper acetylide can be prepared by passing acetylene
gas through copper(I) chloride
solution in presence of ammonia
:
The reaction product is a reddish precipitate. The reaction is used as a test for acetylene.
Copper acetylide can form inside pipes made of copper
or an alloy with high copper content, which may result in violent explosion. This was found to be the cause of explosions in acetylene plants, and led to abandonment of copper as a construction material in such plants. Copper catalysts used in petrochemistry
can also possess a degree of risk under certain conditions.
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
2C
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
2. It is a heat and shock sensitive high explosive, more sensitive than silver acetylide
Silver acetylide
Silver acetylide is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula Ag2C2, a metal acetylide. The name is derived from the way it is synthesized, and emphasizes that the compound can be regarded as a salt of the weak acid, acetylene. Since acetylene is called "ethyne" in the modern IUPAC...
. It is a metal acetylide
Metal acetylide
Acetylide, ethynide, dicarbide, or percarbide is the divalent anion with formula C22− or 2−. It may be regarded as the result of removing two protons from acetylene C2H2 or H-C≡C-H, the prototypical alkyne — that behaves as a weak acid.These terms are also used for any monovalent anion...
. It is similar to silver acetylide
Silver acetylide
Silver acetylide is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula Ag2C2, a metal acetylide. The name is derived from the way it is synthesized, and emphasizes that the compound can be regarded as a salt of the weak acid, acetylene. Since acetylene is called "ethyne" in the modern IUPAC...
and calcium carbide
Calcium carbide
thumb|right|Calcium carbide.Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of CaC2. The pure material is colorless, however pieces of technical grade calcium carbide are grey or brown and consist of only 80-85% of CaC2 . Because of presence of PH3, NH3, and H2S it has a...
, though it is not called carbide in literature. Though not practically useful due to high sensitivity and reactivity towards water, it is interesting as a curiosity because it is one of the very few explosives that do not liberate any gaseous products upon detonation.
Copper acetylide can be prepared by passing acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
gas through copper(I) chloride
Copper(I) chloride
Copper chloride, commonly called cuprous chloride, is the lower chloride of copper, with the formula CuCl. The substance is a white solid sparingly soluble in water, but very soluble in concentrated hydrochloric acid...
solution in presence of ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
:
- C2H2 + 2CuCl → Cu2C2 + 2HCl
The reaction product is a reddish precipitate. The reaction is used as a test for acetylene.
Copper acetylide can form inside pipes made of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
or an alloy with high copper content, which may result in violent explosion. This was found to be the cause of explosions in acetylene plants, and led to abandonment of copper as a construction material in such plants. Copper catalysts used in petrochemistry
Petrochemistry
Petrochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies the transformation of crude oil and natural gas into useful products or raw materials. These petrochemicals have become an essential part of the chemical industry today.-Origin of Petroleum:...
can also possess a degree of risk under certain conditions.