Iron Chloride (FeCl3)-Powder

Characteristic

Iron(III) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula (FeCl₃). Also called ferric chloride, it is a common compound of iron in the +3 oxidation state.

Chemical formula:FeCl₃

Molar mass：162.204 g/mol (anhydrous)；270.295 g/mol (hexahydrate)

Appearance：Green-black by reflected light;purple-red by transmitted light; yellow solid as hexahydrate; brown as aq. solution

Odor：Slight HCl

Density：2.90 g/cm³ (anhydrous)；1.82 g/cm³ (hexahydrate)

Melting point：307.6 °C (585.7 °F; 580.8 K) (anhydrous)；37 °C (99 °F; 310 K)(hexahydrate)

Boiling point：316 °C (601 °F; 589 K)(anhydrous, decomposes)；280 °C (536 °F; 553 K) (hexahydrate, decomposes)

Solubility in water：912 g/L (anh. or hexahydrate, 25 °C)

Solubility in Acetone：Methanol；Ethanol；Diethyl ether；630 g/L (18 °C)Highly soluble

830 g/L Highly soluble

Magnetic susceptibility (χ)：+13,450·10⁻⁶ cm³/mol

Viscosity：12 cP (40% solution)

Crystal structure：Hexagonal, hR24

Application

It is used for sewerage treatment of industrial wastes, chloride hydrometallurgy (Silgarin process for the production of silicon), drinking water production, production of precursor for polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and copper-based metals in printed circuit boards. Iron (III) chloride is used as catalyst for the reaction of ethylene with chlorine, as a leaching agent, and as a drying reagent in certain reactions. It is a mild oxidizing agent and converts copper(I) chloride in to copper(II) chloride. As a moderately strong Lewis acid, it catalyzes chlorination of aromatic compounds and Friedel-Crafts reactions. Along with sodium iodide, it brings about reduction of organic azides to corresponding amines. It is useful in the detection of phenols and phenolic derivatives, gamma-hydroxybutyric acids, and also in Trinder spot test for detecting salicylic acids.