Plutonium(III) chloride

Hexagonal

A = 739.4 pm c = 424.3 pm

Pu, Cl

Plutoniumtrichlorid

Green solid

Fixed

5.70 g · cm -3

767 ° C

1727 ° C

-229.8 ± 0.8 kcal · mol -1

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Plutonium (III ) chloride is a chemical compound consisting of the elements of plutonium and chlorine. It has the formula PuCl3 and belongs to the class of chlorides.

Production and representation

Plutonium (III ) chloride can be obtained by the reaction of chlorine and plutonium in a vacuum or a carbon tetrachloride argon atmosphere.

Also possible the production of plutonium ( IV) oxide is obtained with carbon tetrachloride.

Other methods of preparation are the chlorination of plutonium (IV ) hydroxide with hydrogen chloride or the reaction of plutonium with hydrogen to Plutoniumhydrid and its subsequent chlorination with hydrogen chloride or the reaction of plutonium (III ) oxalate decahydrate with hexachloropropene.

Properties

Plutonium (III ) chloride is green crystals having a melting point of 767 ° C. In water and dilute acids it is soluble with blue color. It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system, space group P63 / m with lattice parameters a = 739 pm and c = 424 pm and two formula units per unit cell. Its crystal structure is isotypic with uranium (III ) chloride. In the structure of the plutonium atoms are surrounded by nine chlorine atoms as coordination polyhedra results here a triple überkapptes, trigonal prism.

Water plutonium (III ) chloride is a mono-, tri-and hexahydrate.

Safety

Classifications according to the Hazardous Substances Ordinance are not available, although the chemical toxicity is known. Important are the based on the radioactivity hazards, unless it is for a relevant amount of substance.