Selenium oxydichloride

Selenium oxydichloride
IUPAC name

Selenium oxychloride
Other names

Seleninyl chloride
Identifiers
CAS number 7791-23-3 Y
PubChem 24647
RTECS number VS7000000
Jmol-3D images Image 1
Properties
Molecular formula SeOCl2
Molar mass 165.87 g/mol
Appearance colorless liquid
Density 2.43 g/cm3, liquid
Melting point

10.9 °C
Boiling point

177.2 °C
Solubility in water hydrolyzes violently
Solubility soluble in CS2, CCl4, chloroform, benzene, toluene
decomposes in HCl
Refractive index (nD) 1.651 (20 °C)
Structure
Molecular shape trigonal pyramidal
Hazards
R-phrases 14-23/25-33-35-50/53
S-phrases 26-36/37/39-45-60-61
NFPA 704
0
3
1
Related compounds
Related compounds SOCl2, POCl3
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Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Selenium oxydichloride is the inorganic compound with the formula SeOCl2. It is a liquid with a high dielectric constant (55) and high specific conductance, and for these reasons is an attractive solvent. Structurally, it is a close chemical relative of thionyl chloride SOCl2 and DMSO as a donor solvent.

Preparation and reactions

Selenium oxydichloride can be prepared by several methods, and a popular one involves the conversion of selenium dioxide to dichloroselenious acid followed by dehydration:[1]

SeO2 + 2 HCl → Se(OH)2Cl2
Se(OH)2Cl2 → SeOCl2 + H2O

The original synthesis involved the redistribution reaction of selenium dioxide and selenium tetrachloride.

The compound hydrolyzes readily.

References

  1. ^ G. B. L. Smith, Julius Jackson, J. J. Pitha, Eva Blanchard "Selenium(IV) Oxychloride" Inorganic Syntheses, 1950, Volume 3, pp. 130–137.{{DOI|10.1002/9780470132340.ch34))