A volatile hydride of bismuth (BiH₃) analogous to ammonia and phosphine; a highly unstable gaseous compound.
From 'bismuth' + '-ine' (suffix for hydrides and nitrogen-containing compounds). Named systematically in the 19th century following the pattern of stibine (antimony hydride) and arsine (arsenic hydride).
Bismuthine is one of chemistry's most unstable party guests—it decomposes so quickly and explosively that most chemists have never actually worked with it, making it more theoretical than practical despite being a 'real' compound.
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