| Tungsten hexachloride | |
|---|---|
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Tungsten hexachloride |
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| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 13283-01-7 |
| PubChem | 83301 |
| RTECS number | YO7710000 |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | WCl6 |
| Molar mass | 396.61 g/mol |
| Appearance | dark blue crystals, moisture sensitive |
| Density | 3.52 g/cm3 |
| Melting point |
275 °C |
| Boiling point |
346.7 °C |
| Solubility in water | hydrolyzes |
| Solubility in chlorocarbons | soluble |
| Structure | |
| Crystal structure | α:rhombohedral, β: hexagonal |
| Coordination geometry |
octahedral |
| Dipole moment | 0 D |
| Hazards | |
| EU Index | Not listed |
| Main hazards | oxidizer; hydrolysis releases HCl |
| Related compounds | |
| Other anions | Tungsten hexafluoride Tungsten hexabromide |
| Other cations | Molybdenum(V) chloride Chromyl chloride |
| (verify) (what is: /?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Tungsten hexachloride is the chemical compound of tungsten and chlorine with the formula WCl6. This dark violet blue species exists as a volatile solid under standard conditions. It is an important starting reagent in the preparation of tungsten compounds.[1] WCl6 is a rare example of a charge-neutral hexachloride, another example being ReCl6. Better known than WCl6 is the still more volatile WF6.
As a d0 ion, W(VI) forms diamagnetic derivatives. The hexachloride is octahedral with equivalent W-Cl distances of 2.24 - 2.26 Å.[2] In acceptor, the chloride ligands are donors in both sigma- and pi sense. Methylation with trimethylaluminium affords hexamethyl tungsten. Treatment with butyl lithium affords a reagent that is useful for deoxygenation of epoxides.[3]
The chloride ligands in WCl6 can be replaced by many anionic ligands including: Br−, NCS−, and RO− (R = alkyl, aryl).
WCl6 is an aggressively corrosive oxidant, and hydrolyzes to release hydrogen chloride.
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