1
GROUP 13
GROUP IIIA OR 13 OF THE LONG FORM OF THE PERIODIC TABLE CONSISTS OF SIX ELEMENTS
1. BORON
2. ALUMINIUM
3. GALLIUM
4. INDIUM
5. THALLIUM
6. UNUNTRIUM
BORON IS REGARDED AS A SEMI-METAL
ALUMINIUM AND REST OF THE ELEMENTS ARE METALLIC IN NATURE
Thallium known as Duckbill Platypus as it shows similarities with many other elements
Ununtrium, the last member of this group, is a synthetic and radioactive element
CHARACTERISTICS OF 13 TH GROUP ELEMENTS
ABUNDANCE AND OCCURRENCE:
ALUMINIUM IS THE MOST ABUNDANT METAL AND THIRD MOST ABUNDANT ELEMENT (AFTER OXYGEN AND SILICON) BY
MASS IN THE EARTH'S CRUST.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ORE OF ALUMINIUM IS BAUXITE.
Boron is fairly rare element but it is well known because it occurs as concentrated deposits of borax,
kernite and tourmaline crystal.
Gallium is twice as abundant as boron, but indium and thallium are much less common.
ALL THE THREE ELEMENTS (GA, IN AND TI) OCCUR AS SULPHIDES IN TRACES IN ZINC AND LEAD SULPHIDE ORES.
ATOMIC AND IONIC RADIUS:
ATOMIC RADIUS --> B < GA < AL < IN < TL
IONIC RADIUS --> B < AL < GA < IN < TL
DENSITY:
B < AL < GA < IN < TL
2
MELTING AND BOILING POINTS:
MP --> GA < IN < TI < AL < B
BP --> TL < IN < GA < AL < B
IONISATION ENERGY OR IONISATION ENTHALPIES:
B < TL < GA < AL < IN
ELECTROPOSITIVE OR METALLIC CHARACTER :
B < AL > GA > IN > TL
CONDUCTIVITY
BORON IS A BAD CONDUCTOR WHILE ALUMINIUM IS A VERY GOOD CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. GALLIUM, INDIUM AND
THALLIUM ALSO CONDUCT ELECTRICITY.
OXIDATION POTENTIAL (REDUCING NATURE):
BORON HAS LOW VALUE OF OXIDATION POTENTIAL.
THE OXIDATION POTENTIAL VALUES OF OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE GROUP ARE QUITE HIGH.
ALUMINIUM IS A STRONG REDUCING AGENT AND IN FACT BETTER THAN CARBON.
OXIDATION STATES:
BORON SHOWS +3 OXIDATION STATE IN ALL ITS COMPOUNDS. OTHER MEMBERS SHOW +3 AND + 1 OXIDATION STATES.
3
In case of Ga and In, +3 oxidation is more stable than + I oxidation state. The salts of both Ga + and In
+ undergo disproportionation reactions in aqueous solutions.
+1 0 +3
3GaX --> 2Ga + GaX3
3InX --> 2In + InX3
THE DECREASING STABILITY OF +3 IS DUE TO INCREASE IN INERT PAIR EFFECT.
NATURE OF BONDING :
BORON CANNOT FORM IONIC COMPOUNDS IT CAN ONLY FORM COVALENT COMPOUNDS
MANY SIMPLE COMPOUNDS OF THE OTHER ELEMENTS SUCH AS ALCL3 AND GACL3 ARE COVALENT WHEN ANHYDROUS.
HOWEVER, AI, GA, IN AND TL ALL FORM METAL IONS IN SOLUTION.
THE HYDRATED ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS WHICH ARE REGARDED AS IONIC DO NOT CONTAIN THE ALUMINIUM ION,
AL3+, AS SUCH BUT THE HEXA - AQUAALUMINIUM ION, [AL(H20)6]3+
THE RELATIVE STABILITY OF [M(H20)6]3+ IONS DECREASES ON MOVING DOWN THE GROUP.
THALLIUM COMPOUNDS ARE IONIC.
IN TRIVALENT STATE, THE NUMBER OF ELECTRONS AROUND THE CENTRAL ATOM IN A MOLECULE SUCH AS BCI3, BF3,
AICI3, ETC., WILL BE ONLY SIX AND THUS BEHAVE AS ELECTRON DEFICIENT MOLECULES. THEY ACT AS LEWIS ACIDS.
LEWIS ACID CHARACTER DECREASES DOWN THE GROUP AS THE ATOMIC SIZE INCREASES.
THE ELECTRON DEFICIENT COMPOUNDS REMOVE THEIR ELECTRON DEFICIENCY BY :
1. BACK-BONDING:
2. COORDINATION WITH LEWIS BASES :
BF3 + F- --> BF4
Al(OH)3 + OH- --> Al(OH)4
3. POLYMERIZATION:
2AlCl3 --> Al2Cl6
COMPLEX FORMATION:
Group IIIA elements form complexes much more readily than the s-block elements
REACTIVITY TOWARDS AIR:
4
BORON EXISTS IN TWO FORMS (A) CRYSTALLINE AND (B) AMORPHOUS.
BORON IS UNREACTIVE TOWARDS AIR IN CRYSTALLINE STATE.
AMORPHOUS BORON ON HEATING IN AIR FORM BORON TRIOXIDE.
AT HIGH TEMPERATURES, IT ALSO COMBINES WITH NITROGEN.
4B + 3O2 (at 700'C) --> 2B2O3
2B + N2 (High temp.) --> 2BN
4Al + 302 (Heat) --> 2Al2O3
2AI + N2 (High temp) --> 2AIN
GALLIUM AND INDIUM ARE NOT AFFECTED BY AIR.
THALLIUM FORMS AN OXIDE LAYER ON ITS SURFACE. THALLIUM IS PRESERVED UNDER OIL OR BY SMEARING WITH
VASELINE.
REACTIVITY TOWARDS WATER:
BORON IS NOT AFFECTED BY WATER OR STEAM, HOWEVER, STEAM REACTS AT RED HEAT.
2B + 3H20 --> B2O3 + 3H2
ALUMINIUM DECOMPOSES COLD WATER IF THE OXIDE LAYER IS NOT PRESENT ON ITS SURFACE. 2AI + 3H20 -->
A12O3 + 3H2
The oxide film on the surface of aluminium is so useful that in industry it is
purposely increased by an electrolytic process called anodising
