Why scandium is not found as $\ce{Sc(OH)3}$ rather found as $\ce{ScO.OH}$? Is that due to reactivity of structure?
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2$\begingroup$ I have fixed the title and grammar. If this is not what you need, feel free to revert back the edit or add some more details. Also, added chemical formatting. Check the help section for more details. I was not able to fix the last sentence. What do you mean by "reactivity of structure"? Do you mean one species is more reactive than the other? $\endgroup$– Nilay GhoshCommented Nov 16 at 10:40
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$\begingroup$ thanks yes this is what I needed ❤️ $\endgroup$– M.J.SCommented Nov 16 at 11:02
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1 Answer
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The German Wikipedia page gives a structure for $\ce{Sc(OH)3}$ in which each scandium atom is octahedrally coordinated to six hydroxyl groups*. With 3:1 stoichiometry this would suggest a perovskite structure. But in fact the bonding of the oxygen atoms to hydrogen as well as scandium leads to bending the Sc-O-Sc bridges, whereas the ideal perovskite structure would have straight bridges.
The German and English pages report that scandium hydroxide degrades to the oxyhydroxide $\ce{ScOOH}$ on aging, making it difficult to isolate. Scandium hydroxide has a small metal atom that makes the more compact oxyhydroxide structure more stable; this condensation is less favored with larger rare-earth atms/ions in place of scandium.
*I do not use "ions" here because the compound is amphoteric and predominantly neutral molecules in water solution, which is inconsistent with an ionic compound.
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$\begingroup$ Relevant: tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08957959.2022.2089568 $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 16 at 16:43