CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

209 Bi 83 -----> 205 TI 81 + 4 He 2

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and this is what decays into bismuth:

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Lead 209 can undergo beta minus decay to produce bismuth.

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209 Pb 82 ------>  209 Bi 83 + β-

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Polonium 209 can undergo beta plus decay to produce bismuth.

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209 Po 84 ------> 209 Bi 83 + β+

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Astatine 213 can undergo alpha decay to produce bismuth.

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213 At 58 ------> 209 Bi 83 + 4 He 2

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Bismuth is stable to both dry and moist air at ordinary temperatures. When red-hot, it reacts with water to make bismuth(III) oxide.

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2 Bi + 3 H2O → Bi2O3 + 3 H2

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It reacts with fluorine to make bismuth V fluoride at 500 °C or bismuth (III) chloride at lower temperatures (typically from Bi melts); with other halogens it yields only bismuth(III) halides. The trihalides are corrosive and easily react with moisture, forming oxyhalides with the formula BiOX.

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4 Bi + 6 X2 → 4 BiX3 (X = F, Cl, Br, I)

4 BiX3 + 2 O2 → 4 BiOX + 4 X2

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Bismuth dissolves in concentrated sulfuric acid  to make bismuth(III) sulfate and sulfur dioxide.

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6 H2SO4 + 2 Bi → 6 H2O + Bi2(SO4)3 + 3 SO2

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It reacts with nitric acid to make bismuth (III) nitrate.

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Bi + 6 HNO3 → 3 H2O + 3 NO2 + Bi(NO3)3

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It also dissolves in hydrochloric acid, but only with oxygen present.

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4 Bi + 3 O2 + 12 HCl → 4 BiCl3 + 6 H2O

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It is used as a transmetalating agent in the synthesis of alkaline-earth metal complexes:

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3 Ba + 2 BiPh3 → 3 BaPh2 + 2 Bi

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