Antimony trichloride

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Antimony trichloride
Other names	butter of antimony
Identifiers
CAS number	[10025-91-9]
Properties
Molecular formula	SbCl3
Molar mass	228.11 g/mol
Appearance	colorless solid sharp, pungent odor
Density	3.140 g/cm3, solid
Melting point	73.4°C
Boiling point	222.6°C
Solubility in water	600g /100mL
Solubility in Organic solvents	soluble in ABS alcohol soluble in tartaric acid soluble in methylene chloride soluble in benzene soluble in acetone.
Hazards
EU classification	not listed
NFPA 704	0 3 1
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Antimony trichloride is the chemical compound with the formula SbCl₃. This a soft colorless solid was known to the alchemists as butter of antimony. It has a pungent odor, and on contact with water, it undergoes hydrolysis, forming antimony oxychloride and releasing hydrogen chloride. Thus, samples of SbCl₃ must be protected from moisture.

SbCl₃ + H₂O → SbOCl + 2HCl

Further indicating its Lewis acidity, SbCl₃ forms adducts with chloride, e.g. [SbCl₅]²⁻.^[1]

SbCl₃ is a reagent for detecting vitamin A and related carotenoids in the Carr-Price test. The antimony trichloride reacts with the carotenoid to form a blue complex that can be measured by colorimetry.

Antimony trichloride has also been used to enhance the louche effect in absinthe. It has been used in the past to dissolve and remove horn stubs from calves without having to cut them off.

[edit] References

1. ^ Zarychta, B.; Zaleski, J. "Phase transitions mechanism and distortion of SbCl₆³⁻ octahedra in bis(n-butylammonium) pentachloroantimonate(III) (C₄H₉NH₃)₂[SbCl₅]". Z. Naturforsch. B 2006, 61, 1101–1109. Abstract (PDF)