10.

ANOMALOUS
BEHAVIOUR OF
BERYLLIUM
 Learning Outcome

Explain the anomalous behaviour of

beryllium as exemplified by the
formation of covalent compounds.
 Quick Review
Although Beryllium is a Group 2 metal and has 2
electrons in its outermost electron shell, it shows
considerable anomalous behaviour compared to the
rest of Group 2.
the compounds of Beryllium have significant
covalent character while the compounds of the
other Group 2 elements are ionic.
Beryllium atom has a very high ionisation
energy and screening effect due to its small
atomic size.
Beryllium also has a very high charge density
and high polarising power. This enable the ion
to distort the nearby anion’s electron cloud,
giving it a significant covalent character.
 Beryllium Chloride is a covalent compound while the
other Group 2 chlorides are ionic. Its covalent nature
are clearly shown by:

1. It is a white solid that sublimes when heated, and is

soluble in non-polar organic solvents.
2. At room temp, BeCl2 exists as a dimer, Be2Cl4, by
forming coordinate bonds between lone pair electrons
on chlorine atoms and the adjacent beryllium atoms.
 3. BeCl2 is hydrolysed exothermically by water,
liberating acidic, steamy white fumes of HCl gas.
While all the other ionic chlorides in Group 2 dissolve
in water without any observable changes.
4. BeCl2 also does not conduct electricity in molten
form.
 Beryllium Oxide and Beryllium
Hydroxide are amphoteric. This
indicates that the ionic oxides have

Be significant covalent characteristics. The

other Group 2 elements form basic, ionic
oxides and hydroxides that react with
acids only.
 The equations for the reactions with acid and alkali are:

Be Beryllium can form complexes such as [BeF4]2− and

[Be(OH)4]2−. This is due to the high charge and small size
of the Be2+ ion. The other Group 2 elements rarely form
complexes.
 Diagonal Relationship Between
Beryllium and Aluminium
Diagonal relationship= The behaviour within the periodic table
by which the first element in the group
exhibits marked resemblance to their
diagonal neighbours in the next group
of the next period.
These diagonal relationship arise due to the pairs of atoms
having almost similar atomic radii and electronegativities.
These diagonal relationship arise due to the pairs of
atoms having almost similar atomic radii and
electronegativities.
 Li Be B
0.98 1.57 2.04 C
182 pm 153 pm 192 pm

Mg Al Si
Na 1.31 1.61 1.90
173 pm 184 pm 210 pm
Both Beryllium and Aluminium metals show amphoteric
properties and react with acid and strong alkali.
The oxides and hydroxides of both Beryllium and Aluminium
are amphoteric and dissolves in acid and alkali.
Both Beryllium and Aluminium formes covalent chlorides
that sublime when heated. Also both chlorides exist as
dimers Be2Cl4 and Al2Cl6 respectively.

Both Beryllium and Aluminium chlorides undergo hydrolysis

in water liberating steamy white fumes of HCl, that is usual of
covalent chlorides.
Beryllium ions in solution exist as the hydrated ion,
[Be(H2O)4]2+.

It hydrolyses in water to produce an acidic solution.

This beryllium ion has high charge density and high
polarising power. This polarises the electron cloud of
the water molecule, weakens the O-H bond and H+
ions is released.
Aluminium behaves the same way.
Aluminium salt dissolves in water forming [Al(H2O)6]3+
which then hydroleses to form an acidic solution.
Aluminium behaves the same way.
Aluminium salt dissolves in water forming [Al(H2O)6]3+
which then hydroleses to form an acidic solution.
As both elements have high charge and small ionic size,
thus, beryllium and aluminium form stable complex ions
in aqueous solution, such as ,[BeF4]2−, [Be(OH)4]2−,
[AlF6]3-, [Al(OH)4]-.
THANK YOU !