Interesting thread. Yesterday we made some samarium sulfate from elemental samarium and sulfuric acid. The reaction was slow, and we had to add more
water to keep it going. Before we added the additional water, we saw a good amount of yellow samarium sulfate. It is very sparingly soluble in water.
When we added more water, most of it dissolved, and the pieces of remaining samarium metal started to again react and release hydrogen.
So we we have a test tube full of dilute sulfuric acid and a suspension of yellow samarium sulfate precipitate. And even smaller pieces of samarium
metal at the bottom.
I am gong to try adding some zinc and magnesium pieces, and perhaps some other reducing agents, to see if I can get the insoluble red samarium (II)
sulfate to form, which is supposed to be stable. But I won't hold my breathe
In an inorganic synthesis book, they used sodium amalgam as a reducing agent, which unfortunately I don't have.
[Edited on 6-9-2021 by ChemTalk] |