Magnesium compounds

[1] It reacts with water to release hydrogen gas; it decomposes at 287 °C, 1 bar:[2] Magnesium can form compounds with the chemical formula MgX2 (X=F, Cl, Br, I) with halogens.

[3] Its hydrate will be hydrolyzed, making the solution acidic; direct heating of the hydrate will give the hydrolyzed product:[3] Magnesium chloride is an ionic compound, which can be electrolysed in a molten state to form magnesium and chlorine gas.

The hexahydrate crystallizes from the solution, and then it is dried with phosphorus pentoxide in a vacuum at 200~250 °C to obtain the anhydrous form.

This type of organomagnesium compound has the general formula R–Mg–X, where R is a hydrocarbon group and X is a halogen.

Grignard reagents can be obtained by reacting magnesium with halogenated hydrocarbons in a solvent.

Since there is an oxide film on the surface of magnesium, iodine is generally added to accelerate the reaction.