BeSiOH

BeSiOH is a chemical notation used in inorganic and materials chemistry to denote a beryllium–silicon–oxygen–hydrogen containing species. It does not refer to a single well-characterized compound; rather, BeSiOH is used in various contexts to describe Be–Si–O–H clusters or surface adsorbates in silicate chemistry and gas-phase studies. Depending on the study, BeSiOH may represent a neutral cluster with a Be–O–Si framework and a terminal hydroxyl group, or a fragment of a larger Be–Si–O network where Si is tetrahedrally coordinated to oxygens and Be is bound to one or more oxygens, bearing a hydrogen.

Structures are typically envisioned as Be–O–Si linkages with one or more hydroxyl groups (–OH) attached to Be or Si. The precise stoichiometry and connectivity vary with the environmental conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and whether the system is in the gas phase, on a surface, or within a matrix.

BeSiOH is primarily discussed in theoretical or experimental studies of low-coordinate silicate chemistry, cluster chemistry, and surface science. It can emerge as an intermediate or a model motif for understanding Be-containing silicates, hydroxylated surfaces, or defect sites on silica-based materials. Synthesis in bulk form is not established; when encountered, it is typically generated transiently under controlled laboratory conditions.

Safety: Be compounds are highly toxic and require appropriate handling and containment.

See also: Beryllium oxide (BeO), silicates, silanols, beryllosilicates.