Polonium hydride
Polonium hydride (also known as polonium dihydride, hydrogen polonide, or polane) is a chemical compound with the formula PoH2. It is a liquid at room temperature. It is very unstable chemically and tends to decompose into elemental polonium and hydrogen; like all polonium compounds, it is highly radioactive. It is a volatile and very labile compound, from which many polonides can be derived.
Preparation
Polonium hydride cannot be produced by direct reaction from the elements upon heating. Other unsuccessful routes to synthesis include the reaction of polonium tetrachloride (PoCl4) with lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4), which only produces elemental polonium, and the reaction of hydrochloric acid with magnesium polonide (MgPo). The fact that these synthesis routes do not work may be caused by the radiolysis of polonium hydride upon formation.
Trace quantities of polonium hydride may be prepared by reacting hydrochloric acid with polonium-plated magnesium foil. In addition, the diffusion of trace quantities of polonium in palladium or platinum that is saturated with hydrogen (see palladium hydride) may be due to the formation and migration of polonium hydride.
