Late Night Chemistry: Cobalt(I)

Late on a cool summer night in my countryside lab, I prepare a rather interesting and rather stinky complex containing the elusive Cobalt(I).

I'm not responsible for damage to persons or property caused by the replication of this experiment.

[sebastiaocoroa]

This is so cool dude. I was so used to Co II that i never expected a Co I video. Props to you sir

[BothHands]

Your sense of aesthetics is so fuckin sick, i love it
Your videos are awesome

[piranha]

Nice!


Apparently it is soluble in benzene and DCM? (And I would therefore suspect in toluene too).

If you have any of those, you could try dissolving it, to see what it looks like? Maybe even make nice crystals!

[JorgeStolfi]

I believe that BH3 is unstable in water and further decomposes to B(OH)3 with release of 3H. Thus all the 4 hydrogens of the borohydride should be available for reduction, and in theory one BH4− should reduce four cobalt(II) complexes to cobalt(I). That would explain why so little NaBH4 is needed. No?

[BothHands]

What do you use it for? If you can smell it, doesn't that mean you're being exposed to cobalt? Stay safe hunny