Monofluorophosphate is an anion with the formula PO3F2−, which is a phosphate group with one oxygen atom substituted with a fluoride atom. The charge of the ion is −2. The ion resembles sulfate in size, shape and charge, and can thus form compounds with the same structure as sulfates. These include Tutton's salts and langbeinites. The most well-known compound of monofluorophosphate is sodium monofluorophosphate, commonly used in toothpaste.
Contents
Related ions include difluorophosphate (PO
2F−
2) and hexafluorophosphate (PF−
6). The related neutral molecule is phosphenic fluoride PO2F.
Organic derivatives can be highly toxic and include diisopropyl fluorophosphate.
Willy Lange from Berlin discovered sodium monofluorophosphate in 1929. He fruitlessly tried to make monofluorophosphoric acid. However, he did discover the highly toxic organic esters. Following this discovery various nerve gases like sarin were developed.
Fluorophosphate glasses are low melting point kinds of glass which are mixtures of fluoride and phosphate metal compounds. For example, the composition 10% SnO, 40% SnF2, 50% P2O5 forms a glass melting about 139 °C. PbO and PbF2 can lower the melting temperature, and increase water resistance. These glasses can also be coloured by various other elements, and organic dyes.
Production
Hydrolysis of difluorophosphate with an alkali produces monofluorophosphate.
PO2F−
2 + 2 MOH → M2PO3F + H2O + F−
Industrial production is by reaction of a fluoride with a metaphosphate.
MF + MPO3 → M2PO3FDisodium hydrogen phosphate or tetrasodium pyrophosphate can react with hydrogen fluoride to form the sodium salt.
Na2HPO4 or Na4P2O7Phosphoric acid reacts with metal fluorides dissolved in molten urea to yield monofluorphosphates.
Properties
Monofluorophosphates are stable to heat at room temperature, but will decompose when heated. For example, at 450 K silver monofluorophosphate gives off phosphoryl fluoride (POF3) as a gas leaving behind silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) and silver pyrophosphate (Ag4P2O7).
Uses
Zinc monofluorophosphate can be used as a corrosion inhibitor for steel when salt is present.
Glutamine monofluorophosphate has been used as a fluoride-bearing medicine.