Diborane

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Diborane is a colorless gas at room temperature with a repulsive, sweet odor. It mixes well with air and easily forms explosive mixtures. Diborane will ignite spontaneously in moist air at room temperature. The chemical formula for this borane is B2H6. Synonyms include Boroethane, boron hydride and diboron hexahydride.

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Diborane is used in rocket propellants, as a reducing agent, as a rubber vulcanizer, as a catalyst for hydrocarbon polymerization, as a flame-speed accelerator, and as a doping agent in semiconductors.

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The bonding between the two bridging hydrides of diborane is unusual, being an example of 3-center-2-electron bonding.

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Rocket: A rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust gas from within a rocket engine. Often the term rocket is also used to mean a rocket engine....

Propellant: A propellant is a material that is used to move an object by applying a motive force. This may or may not involve a chemical reaction. It may be a gas, liquid, plasma, or, before the chemical reaction, a solid. Common propellants are gasoline, jet fuel and rocket fuel....

Reducing agent: A reducing agent is a substance used in electrochemistry that reduces another substance. In doing so, it becomes oxidized. Another definition can be formulated as - a reduction agent is the electron donor in a oxidation-reduction reaction....