Bleialkalisotren

Bleialkalisotren is a fictional inorganic compound used in theoretical discussions of mineral physics and coordination chemistry to illustrate how alkali metals can stabilize framework structures that incorporate tren-type ligands. The name combines Bleial, a hypothetical locality, with alkali and tren, a shorthand for a triamine ligand.

In proposed models, bleialkalisotren is imagined as a mixed alkali-metal silicate in which alkali cations balance charge within a silicate framework. A representative hypothetical formula might be NaKAlSi2O6, with a monoclinic or orthorhombic crystal system. The structure is described as a framework of corner-sharing [SiO4] tetrahedra linked by cations, creating channels occupied by alkali ions, while aluminum centers provide extra framework charge balancing. Predicted physical properties include low to moderate hardness (Mohs 4–6) and a refractive index that varies with cation composition. Thermal stability is thought to be limited to below 900 °C in air.

Occurrence and discovery: There are no verified natural specimens; bleialkalisotren appears only in theoretical treatises and classroom demonstrations illustrating cation exchange and silicate polymerization.

Applications and significance: In education, it serves as a case study for charge balance, ionic radii effects, and zeolite-like behavior in hypothetical systems. It is not used in industrial chemistry due to its fictional status. See also mineralogy, silicate minerals, and coordination chemistry.