Erbium(III) chloride 2694359 221275094 2008-06-23T20:30:42Z DOI bot 6652755 Citation maintenance. You can [[WP:DOI|use this bot]] yourself! Please [[User:DOI_bot/bugs|report any bugs]]. {{Chembox new | Name = Erbium(III) chloride | ImageFile = Erbium(III)chloride sunlight.jpg | ImageName = Erbium(III) chloride hydrate photographed in sunlight | IUPACName = Erbium(III) chloride | OtherNames = Erbium trichloride | Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers | CASNo = 10138-41-7 }} | Section2 = {{Chembox Properties | Formula = ErCl<sub>3</sub> | MolarMass = 273.62 g/mol | Appearance = pink crystalline solid | Density = 4.1 g/cm<sup>3</sup>, solid | MeltingPt = 776 °C (? K) | BoilingPt = 1500 °C }} }} '''Erbium(III) chloride''' is a violet solid used for the preparation of [[erbium]] metal. [[Image:Erbium(III) chloride in fluorescent light.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Erbium(III) chloride hydrate photographed under a fluorescent lamp]] It is also found as a pink crystalline [[Hydrate|hexahydrate]], [[CAS number]] [10025-75-9]. It has the interesting property that the pink colour is much more intense under the light from a [[fluorescent lamp]], as may be seen from the picture. Anhydrous erbium(III) chloride is formed from the hexahydrate by heating under a strongly chlorinating atmosphere, such as [[chlorine]] or [[hydrogen chloride]]; otherwise [[erbium oxide chloride]], ErOCl, is formed. ==Structural data== Erbium chloride forms crystals of the [[aluminium chloride|AlCl<sub>3</sub>]] type, with [[monoclinic]] crystals and the [[point group]] ''C''2/m.<ref>{{cite journal | author=Tempelton DH, Carter GF | title= The Crystal Structure of Yttrium Trichloride and Similar Compounds | journal=J Phys Chem | year=1954 | pages=940–943 | doi= 10.1021/j150521a002 | volume= 58 }}</ref> Erbium(III) chloride hexahydrate also forms monoclinic crystals with the point group of ''P''2/''n'' (''P''2/''c'') - ''C''<sup>4</sup><sub>2h</sub>. The erbium is octa-coordinated to form [Er(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>6</sub>Cl<sub>2</sub>]<sup>+</sup> ions with the isolated Cl<sup>&minus;</sup> completing the structure.<ref>{{cite journal | author= Graebner EJ, Conrad GH Duliere SF| title=Crystallographic data for solvated rare earth chlorides| year=1966 | pages=1021 | volume=21 }}</ref> ==Optical properties== Erbium(III) chloride solutions show a negative [[nonlinear]] [[absorption]] effect.<ref>{{cite journal | author=Maeda Y, Akidzuki Y, Yamada T | title= All-optical liquid device derived from negative nonlinear absorption effect in an erbium chloride solution | journal=Applied Physics Letters | year=1998 | volume=73 | pages=2411–2413 | doi= 10.1063/1.122450 }}</ref> ==Catalytic properties== Erbium(III) chloride is a powerful [[Catalysis|catalyst]] for the [[acylation]] of alcohols and phenols, and can be easily recycled and reused without significant loss of activity. <ref>[http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=CH06346 CSIRO PUBLISHING - Australian Journal of Chemistry<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==References== {{Citationstyle|date=September 2007}} <references/> [[Category:Erbium compounds]] [[Category:Chlorides]] [[Category:Metal halides]] {{inorganic-compound-stub}} [[ca:Template:Chembox]] [[es:Plantilla:Chembox]] [[fr:Modèle:Chimiebox général]]