Sodium tetrafluoroborate, also called sodium borofluoride, is a compound with formula NaBF4. It forms colorless water-soluble rhombic crystals and is soluble in water (108 g/100 ml) and less soluble in organic solvents.
It is a source of tetrafluoroborate anion. It is used in organic chemistry for fluorination reactions and as a catalyst, and for lab-scale preparation of boron trifluoride.
Sodium tetrafluoroborate is used in some fluxes used for brazing.
Sodium tetrafluoroborate can be prepared by neutralizing tetrafluoroboric acid with sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide.
- Na2O + 2 HBF4 → 2 NaBF4 + H2O
- NaOH + HBF4 → NaBF4 + H2O
- Na2CO3 + 2 HBF4 → 2 NaBF4 + H2O + CO2
Sodium tetrafluoroborate can be used to prepare nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate, an explosive, by reacting with nitrogen(III) oxide.
On heating, sodium tetrafluoroborate decomposes to sodium fluoride and boron trifluoride.
Sodium tetrafluoroborate can be used for synthesis of ionic liquids, where the tetrafluoroborate often plays the role of the product's anion.
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