Aluminium monochloride

Aluminium monochloride
Names
IUPAC name
Aluminium monochloride
Systematic IUPAC name
Chloridoaluminium[1]
Other names
Aluminium(I) chloride
Identifiers
13595-81-8 Yes
ChEBI CHEBI:30131 Yes
ChemSpider 4514257 Yes
Jmol-3D images Image
PubChem 5359282
Properties
Molecular formula
AlCl
Molar mass 62.43 g·mol−1
Thermochemistry
227.95 J K−1 mol−1
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfHo298)
-51.46 kJ mol−1
Related compounds
Related compounds
aluminium monofluoride
gallium monofluoride
Except where noted otherwise, data is given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa)
 Yes verify (what is: Yes/?)
Infobox references

Aluminium monochloride is the metal halide with the formula AlCl. This compound is produced as a step in the Alcan process to smelt aluminium from an aluminium-rich alloy. When the alloy is placed in a reactor that is heated to 1,300°C and mixed with aluminium trichloride, a gas of aluminium monochloride is produced.[2]

2[Al]{alloy} + AlCl3{gas} -> 3AlCl{gas}

It then disproportionates into aluminium melt and aluminium trichloride upon cooling to 900°C.

This molecule has been detected in the interstellar medium, where molecules are so dilute that intermolecular collisions are unimportant.[3]

References

  1. "chloridoaluminium (CHEBI:30131)". Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI). UK: European Bioinformatics Institute.
  2. Totten, George E.; MacKenzie, D. Scott (2003). Handbook of Aluminum. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8247-0896-2.
  3. J. Cernicharo, M. Guelin (1987). "Metals in IRC+10216 - Detection of NaCl, AlCl, and KCl, and tentative detection of AlF". Astronomy and Astrophysics 183 (1): L10–L12. Bibcode:1987A&A...183L..10C.