Cupric Chloride Uses & Properties

Cupric chloride, inorganic compound, chemical formula CuCl2. Copper chloride is a covalent compound with a planar chain. It is easy to absorb moisture from the air and become blue-green trapezium crystal dihydrate CuCl2·2H2O. Copper chloride is a yellow-brown powder, easily soluble in water, ethanol, acetone, soluble in ammonia, slightly soluble in acetone and ethyl acetate, slightly soluble in diethyl ether. Its aqueous solution is acidic to litmus.

Cupric chloride occurs naturally as hydrochlorophenrite. It is usually made by reacting copper carbonate with hydrochloric acid. Commonly used as organic and inorganic reaction catalyst, mordant, insecticide, petroleum deodorization, desulfurization and finishing preparations.

Physical and chemical properties of copper chloride

Density： 3.386 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)

Boiling point： 993ºC

Melting point： 620ºC(lit.)

Molecular formula： Cl2Cu

Molecular weight： 134.45200

Exact mass： 132.86700

LogP： 1.37650

Appearance： Powder

Steam pressure： 33900mmHg at 25°C

Storage conditions： The warehouse is ventilated and dry at low temperature, and stored separately from food raw materials

Properties of Cupric chloride

A blue-green rhombic crystal. Relative density 2.54. Easy deliquescence in moist air, easy weathering in dry air. In contrast to the tetrahedral structure of other transition metals, such as ferrous chloride, dichlorides are planar quadrilaterals due to ionic polarization and the ginger-Taylor effect. Soluble in water, soluble in alcohol, ammonia, acetone. In diethyl ether, ethyl acetate also has a certain solubility, so it is commonly used as a catalyst in organic reactions (especially hydrocarbon activation reactions). Its aqueous solution is weakly acidic. When heated to 100℃, two crystalline waters are lost, but it is easy to hydrolyze at high temperature, and it is difficult to obtain anhydrous salt. When the crystal is formed from the aqueous solution of copper chloride, dihydrate is obtained at 26 ~ 42℃, tetrahydrate is obtained below 15℃, trihydrate is obtained at 15 ~ 25.7℃, monohydrate is obtained above 42℃ and anhydrous is obtained at 100℃.

Risk of copper chloride

Risk Class: Class 8.3 Other corrosive agents

Route of entry: Inhalation, ingestion

Health hazard: Irritation to eyes, ~ and respiratory tract. Exposure to heat produces copper smoke, inhalation causes metal smoke heat. Oral administration causes hemorrhagic gastritis and liver, kidney, intermediate nervous system damage and hemolysis, serious people die of shock or renal failure.

Environmental hazard: Harmful to the environment.

Ignition and explosion danger: no ignition, no special ignition and explosion characteristics.

Preparation of copper chloride

Copper chloride can be prepared by the action of hydrochloric acid on CuO oxide or copper carbonate (actually Cu(OH)2·CuCO3).

Application of copper chloride

Used as chemical reagent, mordant, oxidant, wood preservative, food additive, disinfectant and used in the production of glass, ceramics, fireworks, invisible ink, also used in the deodorization and desulfurization of petroleum fractions, metal refining, photography, etc.