Antimony pentachloride
Encyclopedia
Antimony pentachloride is a the chemical compound with the formula SbCl5. It is a colourless oil, but typical samples are yellowish due to impurities. Owing to its tendency to hydrolyse
to hydrochloric acid
, SbCl5 is highly corrosive substance.
:
Gaseous SbCl5 has a trigonal prismatic structure.
:
This reaction is suppressed in the presence of large excess of chloride owing to formation of the hexachloroantimonate complex ion:
The mono- and tetrahydrates are known, SbCl5.H2O SbCl5.4H2O.
This compound forms adducts with many Lewis bases. It is used as the standard Lewis acid in the Gutmann scale of Lewis basicity.
It is also a strong oxidizing agent
.
of organic compounds.
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
to hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid....
, SbCl5 is highly corrosive substance.
Preparation and structure
Antimony pentachloride is prepared by passing chlorine gas into molten antimony trichlorideAntimony trichloride
Antimony trichloride is the chemical compound with the formula SbCl3. The soft colorless solid with a pungent odor was known to the alchemists as butter of antimony.-Preparation:...
:
- SbCl3 + Cl2 → SbCl5
Gaseous SbCl5 has a trigonal prismatic structure.
Reactions
Antimony pentachloride hydrolyses readily to give hydrochloric acidHydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid....
:
- 2 SbCl5 + 5 H2O → Sb2O5 + 10 HCl
This reaction is suppressed in the presence of large excess of chloride owing to formation of the hexachloroantimonate complex ion:
- SbCl5 + Cl
− → [SbCl6]−
The mono- and tetrahydrates are known, SbCl5.H2O SbCl5.4H2O.
This compound forms adducts with many Lewis bases. It is used as the standard Lewis acid in the Gutmann scale of Lewis basicity.
It is also a strong oxidizing agent
Oxidizing agent
An oxidizing agent can be defined as a substance that removes electrons from another reactant in a redox chemical reaction...
.
Applications
Antimony pentachloride is used as a polymerization catalyst and for the chlorinationChlorination
Chlorination is the process of adding the element chlorine to water as a method of water purification to make it fit for human consumption as drinking water...
of organic compounds.