Beryllium Chloride (7787-47-5)

Beryllium Chloride (CAS NO.7787-47-5) is a white to green solid with a sharp odor. Reacts with water with evolution of heat. Forms beryllium oxide and hydrochloric acid solution. Corrodes most metals in presence of moisture. Flammable and explosive hydrogen gas may collect in enclosed spaces. It generally soluble in water. The resulting solutions contain moderate concentrations of hydrogen ions and have pH's of less than 7.0. They react as acids to neutralize bases. These neutralizations generate heat, but less or far less than is generated by neutralization of inorganic acids, inorganic oxoacids, and carboxylic acid. They usually do not react as either oxidizing agents or reducing agents but such behavior is not impossible. Many of these compounds catalyze organic reactions. Beryllium Chloride reacts with vigor with sulfur nitrides. Some explode upon intimate mixing, i.e. tetrasulfur tetranitride.
Health Hazard Inhalation causes pneumonitis, nasopharyngitis, tracheobronchitis, dyspnea, chronic cough. Ingestion causes irritation of mouth and stomach. Contact with dust causes conjunctival inflammation of eyes and irritation of skin. Any dramatic, unexplained weight loss should be considered as a possible first indication of beryllium disease.Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Toxic and irritating beryllium oxide fumes and hydrogen chloride may form in fires.  It hydrolyses upon contact with water to give the aquo complex, [Be(H₂O)₄]Cl₂. Beryllium chloride is stable in dry air, but absorbs moisture forming its tetrahydrate, BeCl₂•4H₂O. It readily dissolves in water undergoing hydrolysis and evolving hydrochloric acid:
BeCl₂ + 2H₂O → Be(OH)₂ + 2HCl
Cold aqueous solution of beryllium chloride reacts with hydrogen sulfide forming beryllium sulfide, which decomposes on heating.

NTP 10th Report on Carcinogens. IARC Cancer Review: Group 1 IMEMDT    IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man . 58 (1993),p. 41.(World Health Organization, Internation Agency for Research on Cancer,Lyon, France.: ) (Single copies can be ordered from WHO Publications Centre U.S.A., 49 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, NY 12210) ; Human Sufficient Evidence IMEMDT    IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man . 58 (1993),p. 41.(World Health Organization, Internation Agency for Research on Cancer,Lyon, France.: ) (Single copies can be ordered from WHO Publications Centre U.S.A., 49 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, NY 12210) ; Animal Sufficient Evidence IMEMDT    IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man . 1 (1972),p. 17.(World Health Organization, Internation Agency for Research on Cancer,Lyon, France.: ) (Single copies can be ordered from WHO Publications Centre U.S.A., 49 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, NY 12210) ; Animal Sufficient Evidence IMEMDT    IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man . 23 (1980),p. 143.(World Health Organization, Internation Agency for Research on Cancer,Lyon, France.: ) (Single copies can be ordered from WHO Publications Centre U.S.A., 49 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, NY 12210) ; Animal Sufficient Evidence IMEMDT    IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Man . 58 (1993),p. 41.(World Health Organization, Internation Agency for Research on Cancer,Lyon, France.: ) (Single copies can be ordered from WHO Publications Centre U.S.A., 49 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, NY 12210) . EPA Genetic Toxicology Program. Reported in EPA TSCA Inventory. Beryllium and its compounds are on the Community Right-To-Know List.