Scandium(III) chloride is an inorganic scandium compound with the chemical formula . It is a white, high-melting ionic compound, which is deliquescent and highly water-soluble. This salt is mainly of interest in the research laboratory. Both the anhydrous form and hexahydrate () are commercially available.
Structure crystallises in the layered motif, which features octahedral scandium centres.Crystal Structure of ScCl3 Refined from Powder Neutron Diffraction Data, Fjellvåg, H., Karen, P., Acta Chemica Scandinavica, 48, 294-297, Monomeric is the predominant species in the vapour phase at 900 K, the dimer accounts for approximately 8%.Haaland A., Martinsen K-G, Shorokhov D.J, Girichev G.V., Sokolov V.I, J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans., 1998, 2787 - 2792, The electron diffraction spectrum indicates that the monomer is planar and the dimer has two bridging Cl atoms each Sc being 4 coordinate.
Reactions
is a Lewis acid that absorbs water to give aquo complexes. According to X-ray crystallogrphy, one such hydrate is , featuring seven-coordinate Sc3+. The salt trans- is also claimed. With the less basic ligand tetrahydrofuran, yields the adduct as white crystals. This THF-soluble complex is used in the synthesis of organoscandium compounds.Manzer, L. E., "Tetrahydrofuran Complexes of Selected Early Transition Metals", Inorganic Syntheses, 1982, volume 21, page 135-40. has been converted to its dodecyl sulfate salt, which has been investigated as a "Lewis acid-surfactant combined catalyst" (LASC) in aldol-like reactions.
Reduction Scandium(III) chloride was used by Fischer et al. who first prepared metallic scandium by electrolysis of a eutectic melt of scandium(III) chloride and other salts at 700-800 °C.
reacts with scandium metal to give a number of chlorides where scandium has an oxidation state of less than +3, ScCl, , , and . For example, reduction of with scandium metal in the presence of caesium chloride gives the compound which contains linear chains of composition , containing octahedra sharing faces.
Uses Scandium(III) chloride is found in some halide lamps, optical fibers, electronic ceramics, and lasers.Metal Suppliers Online. (2000). Scandium Chloride
References