Specific Features of Oxidation of Sodium Tetradecahydroundecaborate to Decaborane with Manganese Dioxide

Oxidation of tetradecahydroundecaborate ion with manganese dioxide is considered. The influence exerted by the structure of the crystal lattice of manganese dioxide polymorphic modifications (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) on the MnO(2)activity in tetradecahydroundecaborate ion oxidation is analyzed. The decaborane yield reaches a maximum if MnO(2)prepared by the reaction of aqueous solutions of MnSO(4)and KMnO(4)under varied conditions has predominantly amorphous form (delta-MnO2). Based on the experimental results, a new stoichiometry of the oxidation reaction is suggested, taking into account the influence of different activity of MnO(2)polymorphic modifications on the decaborane formation.