Gallium(III) chloride

Gallium(III) chloride
Names
Other names
Gallium trichloride, Trichlorogallium, Trichlorogallane
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.033.268 Edit this at Wikidata
RTECS number
  • LW9100000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/3ClH.Ga/h3*1H;/q;;;+3/p-3 checkY
    Key: UPWPDUACHOATKO-UHFFFAOYSA-K checkY
  • InChI=1/3ClH.Ga/h3*1H;/q;;;+3/p-3
    Key: UPWPDUACHOATKO-DFZHHIFOAO
  • monomer: Cl[Ga](Cl)Cl
  • dimer: Cl[Ga-]1(Cl)[Cl+] [Ga-]([Cl+]1)(Cl)Cl
  • monohydrate: Cl[Ga-](Cl)(Cl)[OH2+]
Properties
GaCl
3
Molar mass 176.073 g/mol (anhydrous)
194.10 g/mol (monohydrate)
Appearance colorless crystals
Density 2.47 g/cm3 (anhydrous)
Melting point 77.9 °C (172.2 °F; 351.0 K) (anhydrous)
44.4 °C (monohydrate)
Boiling point 201 °C (394 °F; 474 K) (anhydrous)
very soluble
Solubility soluble in benzene, CCl4, CS2, and alkanes
−63.0·10−6 cm3/mol
Structure[1]
monoclinic
C2/m
a = 11.95 Å, b = 6.86 Å, c = 7.05 Å
α = 90°, β = 125.7°, γ = 90°
469 Å3
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS05: Corrosive
Danger
H314
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
0
1
Flash point Non-flammable
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
4700 mg/kg (rat, oral)
Related compounds
Other anions
Gallium(III) fluoride
Gallium(III) bromide
Gallium(III) iodide
Other cations
Aluminium chloride
Indium(III) chloride
Thallium(III) chloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
checkY verify (what is checkY☒N ?)

Gallium(III) chloride is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula GaCl3 which forms a monohydrate, GaCl3·H2O. Solid gallium(III) chloride is a deliquescent white solid and exists as a dimer with the formula Ga2Cl6.[2] It is colourless and soluble in virtually all solvents, even alkanes, which is truly unusual for a metal halide. It is the main precursor to most derivatives of gallium and a reagent in organic synthesis.[3]

As a Lewis acid, GaCl3 is milder than aluminium chloride. It is also easier to reduce than aluminium chloride. The coordination chemistry of Ga(III) and Fe(III) are similar, so gallium(III) chloride has been used as a diamagnetic analogue of ferric chloride.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference str was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Wells, A.F. (1984) Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-855370-6.
  3. ^ Yamaguchi, Masahiko; Matsunaga, Shigeki; Shibasaki, Masakatsu; Michelet, Bastien; Bour, Christophe; Gandon, Vincent (2014), "Gallium Trichloride", Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 1–8, doi:10.1002/047084289x.rn00118u.pub3, ISBN 9780470842898