Scandium  

Chemical reactions of the elements

Reaction of scandium with air

Scandium metal tarnishes in air and burns readily to form scandium (III) oxide, Sc₂O₃.

4Sc + 3O₂ 2Sc₂O₃

Reaction of scandium with water

When finely divided, or heated, scandium metal dissolves in water to form solutions containing the aquated Sc(III) ion together with hydrogen gas, H₂.

2Sc(s) + 6H₂O(aq) 2Sc³⁺(aq) + 6OH^-(aq) + 3H₂(g)

Reaction of scandium with the halogens

Scandium is very reactive towards the halogens fluorine, F₂, chlorine, Cl₂ bromine, Br₂, and iodine, I₂, and burns to form the trihalides scandium(III) fluoride, ScF₃ , scandium(III) chloride, ScCl₃, scandium(III) bromide, ScBr₃, and scandium(III) iodide, ScI₃ respectively.

2Sc(s) + 3F₂(g) 2ScF₃(s)

2Sc(s) + 3Cl₂(g) 2ScCl₃(s)

2Sc(s) + 3Br₂(g) 2ScBr₃(s)

2Sc(s) + 3I₂(g) 2ScI₃(s)

Reaction of scandium with acids

Scandium metal dissolves readily in dilute hydrochloric acid to form solutions containing the aquated Sc(III) ion together with hydrogen gas, H₂.

2Sc(s) + 6HCl(aq) 2Sc³⁺(aq) + 6Cl^-(aq) + 3H₂(g)

Reaction of scandium with bases