beryllium hydride

chemical compound

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Beryllium hydride (BeH₂) is a chemical compound where hydrogen is bonded to beryllium. It is considered a hydride, a class of compounds formed between hydrogen and another element. Beryllium itself is a light, alkaline-earth metal known for its use in metallurgy and in specialized applications like outer space and nuclear technology.12

Beryllium hydride is described as a nonconductor that can exist in solid, liquid, or gaseous forms. It is thermally unstable and can react explosively with air or moisture. While beryllium is an alkaline-earth metal, its hydride is more covalent in nature compared to other alkaline-earth metal hydrides. Pure BeH₂ is difficult to isolate, but its structure is believed to be polymeric with bridging hydrogen atoms.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

hydride
Saline (ionic) hydrides
… (with the possible exception of beryllium hydride, BeH₂, and magnesium hydride, MgH₂). These metals enter into a direct reaction with hydrogen at elevated temperatures (300–700 °C [570–1,300 °F]) to produce hydrides of the general formulas MH and MH₂. Such compounds are white crystalline solids when pure but are usually gray,…
Read More
… (with the possible exception of beryllium hydride, BeH₂, and magnesium hydride, MgH₂). These metals enter into a direct reaction with hydrogen at elevated temperatures (300–700 °C [570–1,300 °F]) to produce hydrides of the general formulas MH and MH₂. Such compounds are white crystalline solids when pure but are usually gray,…
Read More