Chloroauric acid is a inorganic compound

Inorganic compound

Inorganic compounds have traditionally been considered to be of inanimate, non-biological origin. In contrast, organic compounds have an explicit biological origin. However, over the past century, the classification of inorganic vs organic compounds has become less important to scientists,...

 with the formula HAuCl₄. This pale yellow compound is a common precursor to gold

Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...

 (Au) in a variety of purposes. The term chloroauric acid is also sometimes used to describe other gold chloride

Gold chloride

Gold chloride can refer to:* Gold chloride , AuCl* Gold chloride , AuCl2* Gold chloride , AuCl3* Chloroauric acid, HAuCl4...

s.
Chloroauric acid is obtained by dissolving gold in aqua regia

Aqua regia

Aqua regia or aqua regis is a highly corrosive mixture of acids, fuming yellow or red solution, also called nitro-hydrochloric acid. The mixture is formed by freshly mixing concentrated nitric acid and hydrochloric acid, usually in a volume ratio of 1:3, respectively...

 followed by evaporation of these solutions. Upon heating, chloroauric acid liberates hydrogen chloride

Hydrogen chloride

The compound hydrogen chloride has the formula HCl. At room temperature, it is a colorless gas, which forms white fumes of hydrochloric acid upon contact with atmospheric humidity. Hydrogen chloride gas and hydrochloric acid are important in technology and industry...

, giving gold(III) chloride

Gold(III) chloride

Gold chloride, traditionally called auric chloride, is a chemical compound of gold and chlorine. With the molecular formula Au2Cl6, the name gold trichloride is a simplification, referring to the empirical formula. The Roman numerals in the name indicate that the gold has an oxidation state of +3,...

. This reaction is reversible: dissolving gold(III) chloride in 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....

:

Au₂Cl₆ + 2 HCl 2 HAuCl₄

In aqueous solution, chloroauric acid consists of the square planar  ion.