Chromium(II) chloride

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Chromium(II) chloride
3D model of chromium(II) chloride, green atom is chloride
Sample of chromium(II) chloride
Names
IUPAC name
Chromium(II) chloride
Other names
Chromous chloride
Identifiers
3D model (
JSmol
)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard
100.030.136 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 233-163-3
RTECS number
  • GB5250000
UNII
UN number 3077
  • InChI=1S/2ClH.Cr/h2*1H;/q;;+2/p-2 checkY
    Key: XBWRJSSJWDOUSJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L checkY
  • InChI=1/2ClH.Cr/h2*1H;/q;;+2/p-2
    Key: XBWRJSSJWDOUSJ-NUQVWONBAQ
  • Cl[Cr]Cl
Properties
Cl2Cr
Molar mass 122.90 g·mol−1
Appearance White to grey/green powder (anhydrous)
blue solid (tetrahydrate)
Odor Odorless
Density 2.88 g/cm3 (24 °C)[1]
Melting point 824 °C (1,515 °F; 1,097 K)
anhydrous
51 °C (124 °F; 324 K)
tetrahydrate, decomposes[1]
Boiling point 1,302 °C (2,376 °F; 1,575 K)
anhydrous[1]
Soluble[1]
Solubility Insoluble in alcohol, ether
Acidity (pKa) 2
+7230·10−6 cm3/mol
Structure
Orthorhombic (deformed rutile, anhydrous), oP6[2]
Monoclinic (tetrahydrate)[3]
Pnnm, No. 58 (anhydrous)[2]
P21/c, No. 14 (tetrahydrate)[3]
2/m 2/m 2/m (anhydrous)[2]
2/m (tetrahydrate)[3]
a = 6.64 Å, b = 5.98 Å, c = 3.48 Å (anhydrous)[2]
α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°
Octahedral (Cr2+, anhydrous)[2]
Thermochemistry
71.2 J/mol·K[1]
115.3 J/mol·K[1]
Std enthalpy of
formation
fH298)
−395.4 kJ/mol[1]
−356 kJ/mol[1]
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS07: Exclamation mark[4]
Warning
H302, H315, H319, H335[4]
P261, P305+P351+P338[4]
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
1870 mg/kg (rats, oral)[5]
Safety data sheet (SDS) Oxford MSDS
Related compounds
Other anions
Chromium(II) fluoride
Chromium(II) bromide
Chromium(II) iodide
Other cations
Chromium(III) chloride
Chromium(IV) chloride
Molybdenum(II) chloride
Tungsten(II) chloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Chromium(II) chloride describes

hygroscopic
and readily dissolves in water to give bright blue air-sensitive solutions of the tetrahydrate Cr(H2O)4Cl2. Chromium(II) chloride has no commercial uses but is used on a laboratory-scale for the synthesis of other chromium complexes.

Synthesis

CrCl2 is produced by reducing chromium(III) chloride either with hydrogen at 500 °C:

2 CrCl3 + H2 → 2 CrCl2 + 2 HCl

or by electrolysis.

On the laboratory scale, LiAlH4, zinc, and related reductants produce chromous chloride from chromium(III) precursors:

4 CrCl3 + LiAlH4 → 4 CrCl2 + LiCl + AlCl3 + 2 H2
2 CrCl3 + Zn → 2 CrCl2 + ZnCl2

CrCl2 can also be prepared by treating a solution of chromium(II) acetate with hydrogen chloride:[6]

Cr2(OAc)4 + 4 HCl → 2 CrCl2 + 4 AcOH

Treatment of chromium powder with concentrated

acetonitrile complex.[7]

Cr + n H2O + 2 HCl → CrCl2(H2O)n + H2

Structure and properties

Anhydrous CrCl2 is white

Ball-and-stick model of chromium(II) chloride tetrahydrate.

The hydrated derivative, CrCl2(H2O)4, forms

monoclinic crystals with the P21/c space group. The molecular geometry is approximately octahedral consisting of four short Cr—O bonds (2.078 Å) arranged in a square planar configuration and two longer Cr—Cl bonds (2.758 Å) in a trans configuration.[3]

Reactions

The reduction potential for Cr3+ + e ⇄ Cr2+ is −0.41. Since the reduction potential of H+ to H2 in acidic conditions is +0.00, the chromous ion has sufficient potential to reduce acids to hydrogen, although this reaction does not occur without a catalyst.

Organic chemistry

Chromium(II) chloride is used as precursor to other inorganic and organometallic chromium complexes. Alkyl halides and nitroaromatics are reduced by CrCl2. The moderate electronegativity of chromium and the range of substrates that CrCl2 can accommodate make

Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi reaction, a useful method for preparing medium-size rings.[10] It is also used in the Takai olefination to form vinyl iodides from aldehydes in the presence of iodoform.[11]

References