ELECTRONEGATIVITY

The electronegativity values of

Group 2 elements are low, but
are higher than the values for
Group 1.
The electronegativity difference
between Group 2 metals(Mg, Ca,
Sr, and Ba) and the halogens or
oxygen is large and the
compounds are ionic.
The value for Beryllium is higher
than for others.

HYDRATION ENERGIES
The hydration energies of the
Group 2 ions are four or five
times greater than for group 1
ions. This is largely due to
their smaller size and
increased charge. The
crystalline compounds of
Group 2 compounds contain
more water of crystallization
than the corresponding Group
1 compounds.
Thus NaCl and KCl are
anhydrous but MgCl2.6H2O,
CaCl2.6H2O and BaCl2.2H2O
all have water of
crystallization. .
Note that the number of
molecules of water of
crystallization decreases as the
ions become larger
Differences between
Beryllium and the other
Group 2 elements
Beryllium is anomalous in
many of its properties and
shows diagonal relationship to
aluminum in Group 3.
It is extremely small and has a
high charge density and so by
Fajans rules it
has a strong tendency to
covalency. Beryllium hydride is
electron deficient and polymeric
with multicentre bonding like
aluminium hydride.
• The halides of beryllium are
electron deficient, and
polymeric with halogen
bridges. BeCl2 usually forms
chains but also exists as the
dimer. AlCl3 is dimeric.

Be forms many complexes – not

typical of Groups 1 and 2.
Be like Al is rendered passive by
nitric acid.
Be is amphoteric, liberating
H2 with NaOH and forming
beryllates. Al forms
Aluminates.

Be(OH)2 like Al(OH)3 is

 amphoteric.
• Be salts are extensively
hydrolysed.
• Be salts are among the most
soluble known.
• Beryllium forms an unusual

carbide Be2C which like

Al4C3 reacts with water to

give methane whereas

•magnesium carbide and calcium

carbide give propyne and

ethyne(formerly called acetylene)

respectively.

      
Be2C+4H2O → 2Be(OH)2 + CH4

Mg2C3 + 4H2O  → 2Mg(OH)2 +

C3H4         

CaC2 + 2H2O → Ca(OH)2 + C2H2

Beryllium metal is relatively

unreactive at room

temperature, particularly in

its massive form.

It does not react with water or
steam even at red heat and does
not oxidize in air below 600°,

though powdered Be burns

brilliantly on ignition to give

BeO and Be3N2.

The halogens (X2) react above

600°C to
give BeX2 but the chalcogens
(S, Se, Te) require higher
temperatures to form BeS,
e.t.c.
• Ammonia reacts above 1200°C
to give Be3N2 and carbon forms
Be2C at 1700°C.
In contrast with the other
group IIA metals, Be does not
react directly with Hydrogen,
and BeH2 must be prepared
indirectly.
Cold concentrated HNO3
passivates Be but the metal
dissolves readily in dilute
aqueous acids (HCl, H2SO4,
HNO3) with the evolution of
hydrogen. Beryllium is sharply
distinguished from the other
alkaline earth metals in
reacting with aqueous
alkalis(NaOH, KOH) with
evolution of hydrogen.
Magnesium is more
electropositive than the
amphoteric Be and reacts more
readily with most of the
non metals. It ignites with the
halogens, particularly when they
are moist, to give MgX2 and
burns with dazzling brilliance in
air to give MgO, Mg3N2.