Iridium(III) chloride

• Iridium
• Iridium chloride

Olive green powder

Fixed

5.3 g · cm -3

763 ° C

Anhydrous insoluble in water and ethanol

Attention

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Iridium (III ) chloride is available in two varieties, as the iridium (III ) chloride hydrate IrCl3 · x H2O as well as iridium ( III) chloride anhydrous IrCl3. The hydrate is a dark green, very hygroscopic chemical compound. It serves as a starting material for the production of most other iridium compounds. The anhydrous salt is, however, insoluble in water.

Production and representation

Anhydrous iridium ( III) chloride is made by chlorination of pure iridium at high temperatures ( 600 ° C).

Through a fuming ammonium hexachloroiridate (IV ) solution ( [ NH4 ] 2 [ IrCl6 ] CAS: 16940-92-4 ) with aqua regia and hydrochloric acid and subsequent reduction, eg with oxalic acid, the iridium (III) chloride hydrate is produced. This must be kept hermetically sealed because it is very easy to be oxidized Ir (IV).

Properties

Iridium ( III) chloride has a standard enthalpy of formation of -257 kJ / mol. It is up to approximately 760 ° C and 1 bar pressure chlorine resistant. There are two modifications, a monoclinic crystallizing α - form and β - form of an orthorhombic.

Use

Iridium ( III) chloride is used as starting material for the production of most of the other iridium compounds such as Vaskas complex trans-[ IrCl (CO) ( PPh3) 2] ) or iridium -olefin complexes, such as [Ir (COD ) Cl] 2, as catalysts. In addition, it is used for production of electrodes in the electrochemistry.