Characteristic

Ruthenium(III) chloride is the chemical compound with the formula RuCl3. "Ruthenium(III) chloride" more commonly refers to the hydrate RuCl3·xH2O. Both the anhydrous and hydrated species are dark brown or black solids. The hydrate, with a varying proportion of water of crystallization, often approximating to a trihydrate, is a commonly used starting material in ruthenium chemistry.

Chemical formula:RuCl₃·xH₂O

Molar mass:207.43 g/mol

Melting point:> 500 °C (932 °F; 773 K) (decomposes)

Solubility in water:Soluble

Magnetic susceptibility (χ):+1998.0·10−6 cm³/mol

Crystal structure:trigonal (RuCl₃)

Application

Ruthenium(III) chloride hydrate is used as a starting material in ruthenium chemistry. It acts as a precursor to many ruthenium compounds, which finds application as catalysts in asymmetric hydrogenation and alkene metathesis. It serves as a catalyst in the preparation of 2-ethyl-3-methylquinolines from primary aromatic amines and triallylamine. Further, it is used in the preparation of nanoparticulate ruthenium-aluminum oxyhydroxide catalyst for the efficient dehydrogenation of arylmethyl alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes.