Erbium(III) chloride
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2008-06-23T20:30:42Z
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{{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>−</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]]
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