Note 16 bis — Chapter XVII · BORON, ALUMINIUM, AND THE ANALOGOUS METALS OF THE THIRD GROUP

Iodide of boron, BI3, was obtained by Moissan (1891), by heating a mixture of the vapours of HI and BCl3 in a tube, or by the action of iodine vapour (at 750°) or HI upon amorphous boron. BI3 is a solid substance which dissolves in benzol and CS2, reacts with water, melts at 43°, boils at 210°, has a density 3·3 at 50°, and partially decomposes in the light. Besson (1891) obtained BIBr2 (boiling at 125°), and BI2Br (boiling at 180°) by heating (300–400°) a mixture of the vapours of HI and BBr3, and showed that NH3 combines with BBr3 and BI3 in various proportions.