Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 7, 2026

Curium(III) hydroxide

Curium hydroxide Cm(OH)3 is a radioactive compound first discovered in measurable quantities in 1947. It is composed of a single curium atom and three hydroxy groups. It was the first curium compound ever isolated.

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Jul 7, 2026
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Wikipedia ↗
Curium hydroxide
Curium(III) hydroxide Curium hydroxide
Curium(III) hydroxide
Curium hydroxide source ↗
Names
IUPAC name
Curium hydroxide
Systematic IUPAC name
Curium(3+) oxidanide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
  • InChI=1S/Cm.3H2O/h;3*1H2/q+3;;;/p-3 checkY[EPA]
    Key: ZOFUDUXHUCRFKX-UHFFFAOYSA-K checkY[EPA]
  • [OH-].[OH-].[OH-].[Cm+3]
Properties
CmH3O3
Molar mass 298 g·mol−1
Appearance colorless or pale yellow solid
insoluble
Structure
hexagonal, UCl3 structure1
P63/m, No. 1762
a = 639,1 pm2, c = 371,2 pm2
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Precipitated Cm(III) hydroxide source ↗
Curium hydroxide in the bottom of a microcentrifuge cone, fall 1947 source ↗

Curium hydroxide Cm(OH)3 is a radioactive compound first discovered in measurable quantities in 1947. It is composed of a single curium atom and three hydroxy groups. It was the first curium compound ever isolated.34

Curium hydroxide is an anhydrous colorless2 or light-yellow5 amorphous gelatinous solid that is insoluble in water.1

Due to self-irradiation, the crystal structure of 244Cm(OH)3 decomposes within one day (244Cm has a half-life of 18.11 years); for 241Am(OH)3 the same process takes 4 to 6 months (241Am has a half-life of 432.2 years).2

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Macintyre, Jane E. (1992). Dictionary of Inorganic Compounds. CRC Press. p. 3046. ISBN 978-0-412-30120-9.
  2. Krivovichev, Sergey; Burns, Peter; Tananaev, Ivan (2006). Structural Chemistry of Inorganic Actinide Compounds. Elsevier. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-08-046791-7.
  3. Seaborg, Glenn T. (1963). Man-Made Transuranium Elements. Prentice-Hall.
  4. "WebElements Periodic Table: Curium". webelements.com. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  5. Koch, Günter (1972). Transurane Teil C: Die Verbindungen. Gmelins Handbuch (in German). Springer-Verlag. p. 35. ISBN 978-3-662-11547-3.