Aluminium chloride
Aluminium trichloride hexahydrate, pure (top), and contaminated with iron(III) chloride (bottom) | |||
| |||
Names | |||
---|---|---|---|
IUPAC name
Aluminium chloride | |||
Other names
Aluminium(III) chloride Aluminium trichloride Trichloroaluminum | |||
Identifiers | |||
| |||
3D model (JSmol) |
|||
ChEBI | |||
ChemSpider | |||
ECHA InfoCard | 100.028.371 | ||
EC Number |
| ||
1876 | |||
PubChem CID |
|||
RTECS number |
| ||
UNII |
| ||
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|||
| |||
Properties | |||
AlCl3 | |||
Molar mass |
| ||
Appearance | Colourless crystals, hygroscopic | ||
Density |
| ||
Melting point |
| ||
| |||
Solubility |
| ||
Vapor pressure |
| ||
Viscosity |
| ||
Structure | |||
Monoclinic, mS16 | |||
C12/m1, No. 12 | |||
a = 0.591 nm, b = 0.591 nm, c = 1.752 nm | |||
Lattice volume (V) |
0.52996 nm3 | ||
Formula units (Z) |
6 | ||
Octahedral (solid) Tetrahedral (liquid) | |||
Trigonal planar (monomeric vapour) | |||
Thermochemistry | |||
Heat capacity (C) |
91.1 J/(mol·K) | ||
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) |
109.3 J/(mol·K) | ||
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
−704.2 kJ/mol | ||
Gibbs free energy (ΔfG⦵) |
−628.8 kJ/mol | ||
Pharmacology | |||
D10AX01 (WHO) | |||
Hazards | |||
GHS labelling: | |||
Danger | |||
H314 | |||
P260, P280, P301+P330+P331, P303+P361+P353, P305+P351+P338+P310, P310 | |||
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |||
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |||
LD50 (median dose) |
380 mg/kg, rat (oral, anhydrous) 3311 mg/kg, rat (oral, hexahydrate) | ||
NIOSH (US health exposure limits): | |||
PEL (Permissible) |
None | ||
REL (Recommended) |
2 mg/m3 | ||
IDLH (Immediate danger) |
N.D. | ||
Related compounds | |||
Other anions |
|||
Other cations |
|||
Related Lewis acids |
|||
Supplementary data page | |||
Aluminium chloride (data page) | |||
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references |
Aluminium chloride, also known as aluminium trichloride, is an inorganic compound with the formula AlCl3. It forms a hexahydrate with the formula [Al(H2O)6]Cl3, containing six water molecules of hydration. Both the anhydrous form and the hexahydrate are colourless crystals, but samples are often contaminated with iron(III) chloride, giving them a yellow colour.
The anhydrous form is important commercially. It has a low melting and boiling point. It is mainly produced and consumed in the production of aluminium metal, but large amounts are also used in other areas of the chemical industry. The compound is often cited as a Lewis acid. It is an example of an inorganic compound that reversibly changes from a polymer to a monomer at mild temperature.