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Question
Lithium hydride can be used to prepare other useful hydrides. Beryllium hydride is one of them. Suggest a route for the preparation of beryllium hydride starting from lithium hydride. Write chemical equations involved in the process.
Solution
Beryllium being least reactive does not form hydride by direct heating with dihydrogen. It is prepared by reacting it with lithium aluminum hydride. The reactions are shown below.
\[\ce{8LiH + Al2Cl6 -> 2LiAlH4 + 6LiCl}\]
\[\ce{2BeCl2 + LiAlH4 -> 2BeH2 + LiCl + AlCl3}\]
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