Iridium(III) chloride is the
chemical compoundA chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
with the
formulaA chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
IrCl
3. This salt and the related
hydrateHydrate is a term used in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry to indicate that a substance contains water. The chemical state of the water varies widely between hydrates, some of which were so labeled before their chemical structure was understood....
are the principal starting materials for most
iridiumIridium is the chemical element with atomic number 77, and is represented by the symbol Ir. A very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum family, iridium is the second densest element and is the most corrosion-resistant metal, even at temperatures as high as 2000 °C...
chemistry. The anhydrous salt is a dark green crystalline solid, which is very hygroscopic. It is usually encountered as a non-stoïchiometric
hydrateHydrate is a term used in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry to indicate that a substance contains water. The chemical state of the water varies widely between hydrates, some of which were so labeled before their chemical structure was understood....
CAS number [14996-61-3]) which has a highly variable water content.
Iridium is separated from the other
platinum group metalsThe platinum group metals sometimes collectively refers to six metallic elements clustered together in the periodic table....
as crystalline ammonium hexachloroiridate(IV), [NH
4]
2[IrCl
6] (CAS number [16940-92-4]), which can be reduced to iridium metal in a stream of
hydrogenHydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly flammable diatomic gas with the molecular formula H
2...
.
Iridium(III) chloride is the
chemical compoundA chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
with the
formulaA chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
IrCl
3. This salt and the related
hydrateHydrate is a term used in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry to indicate that a substance contains water. The chemical state of the water varies widely between hydrates, some of which were so labeled before their chemical structure was understood....
are the principal starting materials for most
iridiumIridium is the chemical element with atomic number 77, and is represented by the symbol Ir. A very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum family, iridium is the second densest element and is the most corrosion-resistant metal, even at temperatures as high as 2000 °C...
chemistry. The anhydrous salt is a dark green crystalline solid, which is very hygroscopic. It is usually encountered as a non-stoïchiometric
hydrateHydrate is a term used in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry to indicate that a substance contains water. The chemical state of the water varies widely between hydrates, some of which were so labeled before their chemical structure was understood....
CAS number [14996-61-3]) which has a highly variable water content.
Preparation
Iridium is separated from the other
platinum group metalsThe platinum group metals sometimes collectively refers to six metallic elements clustered together in the periodic table....
as crystalline ammonium hexachloroiridate(IV), [NH
4]
2[IrCl
6] (CAS number [16940-92-4]), which can be reduced to iridium metal in a stream of
hydrogenHydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly flammable diatomic gas with the molecular formula H
2...
. The spongy metal produced is reacted with
chlorineChlorine Chlorine Chlorine ( , from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' (khlôros, meaning 'pale green'), is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is a halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17 (formerly VII, VIIa, or VIIb). As the chloride ion, which is part of common salt and...
at 300-400°C to produce iridium(III) chloride.
Uses
Iridium(III) chloride is used as a starting material for the preparation of other iridium compounds.
Vaska's complexVaska's complex is the trivial name for the chemical compound trans-chlorocarbonylbisiridium, which has the formula IrCl[P3]2...
,
trans-[IrCl(CO)(PPh
3)
2], is prepared by refluxing IrCl
3 in
dimethylformamideDimethylformamide is the organic compound with the formula
2NCH. Commonly abbreviated DMF , this colourless liquid is miscible with water and the majority of organic liquids. DMF is a common solvent for chemical reactions...
with excess
triphenylphosphineTriphenylphosphine is a common organophosphorus compound with the formula P3 - often abbreviated to PPh3 or Ph3P. It is widely used in the synthesis of organic and organometallic compounds. PPh3 exists as relatively air stable, colorless crystals at...
.
AlkeneIn organic chemistry, an alkene, olefin, or olefine is an unsaturated chemical compound containing at least one carbon-to-carbon double bond...
complexes such as the dimeric {Ir(
CODA cyclooctadiene is a cyclic diene with the formula C8H12. Focusing only on cis derivatives, four isomers are possible: 1,2, which is an allene, 1,3-, 1,4-, and 1,5-. Commonly encountered isomers are 1,3-cyclooctadiene and 1,5-cyclooctadiene, which is used as a ligand for...
)Cl}
2, and {Ir(cycloctene)
2Cl}
2 can also be prepared by refluxing IrCl
3 with the appropriate alkene in water/alcohol mixtures.
Safety
Iridium(III) chloride is not listed under Annex I of
Directive 67/548/EECThe Dangerous Substances Directive is one of the main European Union laws concerning chemical safety. It was made under Article 100 of the Treaty of Rome...
, but is usually classified as
irritantIrritant may refer to:* Something that causes irritation.* Irritant , a psychedelic trance album* Irritant , a United Kingdom rock musical group* Irritant , a stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation...
,
R36/37/38:
Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin. It is listed in the inventory of the
Toxic Substances Control ActThe Toxic Substances Control Act is a United States law, passed by the United States Congress in 1976, that regulates the introduction of new or already existing chemicals. It grandfathered most existing chemicals, in contrast to the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals ...
(TSCA).