FeCl3 Full Form

What is the full form of FeCl_{3} ?

The full form of FeCl3 is Ferric Chloride. The inorganic chemical with the molecular formula, FeCl_{3} is known as Iron(III) Chloride. It is a common compound of Iron in the +3 oxidation state and is also known as Ferric Chloride or Molysite. With a melting point of 307.6 °C, the anhydrous Ferric Chloride is a crystalline solid. The colour of the anhydrous crystals depends on the viewing angle; when light is reflected, they seem dark green, but when light is transmitted, they appear purple-red while the colour of aqueous Ferric Chloride solution is brown in colour. Ferric Chloride is deliquescent in its anhydrous state and is a strong Lewis acid.

This Story also Contains

1. Natural occurrence of ferric chloride
2. Physical properties of ferric chloride
3. Chemical properties of ferric chloride
4. Preparation of ferric chloride
5. Ferric chloride test
6. Uses of ferric chloride

Natural occurrence of ferric chloride

• Molysite, a rare mineral typically associated with volcanic and other types of fumaroles, is the natural equivalent of FeCl_{3}.

• Iron-rich dust and the hydrochloric acid from sea salt react to form FeCl_{3}, which is then released into the atmosphere as a salt aerosol. This iron salt aerosol is expected to have a variety of cooling effects, and it contributes to around 5% of the methane oxidisation that occurs naturally.

• Around 1% of FeCl_{3} makes up the atmosphere of the planet Venus.

Physical properties of ferric chloride

1. Chemical formula = FeCl_{3}

2. Molar mass of anhydrous Ferric Chloride = 162.2 g/mol

3. The molar mass of hexahydrate Ferric Chloride (FeCl_{3}.6H_{2}O ) = 270.295 g/mol

4. Odour = slightly HCl like

5. Density

6. 
   

   • Anhydrous Ferric Chloride = 2.90 g/cm3

   • Hexahydrate Ferric Chloride = 1.82 g/cm3

7. Melting Point

8. 
   

   • Anhydrous Ferric Chloride = 307.6 °C

   • Hexahydrate Ferric Chloride = 37 °C

9. Boiling point

10. 
    

    • Anhydrous Ferric Chloride = 316 °C

    • Hexahydrate Ferric Chloride = 280 °C

11. Highly soluble in water, methanol and diethyl ether.

Chemical properties of ferric chloride

1. Ferric Chloride produces a strongly acidic solution when dissolved in water due to the production of Hydrogen Chloride (HCl)

FeCl_{3}+3H_{2}O\rightarrow Fe(OH)_{3}+3HCl

2. Ferric Chloride produces Iron Oxychloride when heated at 350 °C with Iron(III) Oxide.

FeCl_{3}+Fe_{2}O_{3}\rightarrow 3FeOCl

3. Copper(I) Chloride, is oxidized to Copper(II) Chloride by the mild oxidising agent, Iron(III) Chloride.

FeCl_{3}+CuCl\rightarrow FeCl_{2}+CuCl_{2}

4. The anhydrous Ferric Chloride salt is a moderately strong Lewis acid that can form adducts with Lewis bases like triphenylphosphine oxide, for example, FeCl_{3}\left ( OPPh_{3} \right )_{2} .

5. Additionally, it interacts with different chloride salts to produce the yellow tetrahedral \left [ FeCl_{4} \right ]^{-} ion.

Preparation of ferric chloride

• Iron can be treated with Chlorine to produce anhydrous Ferric Chloride.

2Fe+3Cl_{2}\rightarrow 2FeCl_{3}

• Ferric Chloride can be prepared by dissolving Iron ore in Hydrochloric Acid.

Fe_{3}O_{4}+8HCl\rightarrow FeCl_{2}+2FeCl_{3}+4H_{2}O

• Oxidation of Ferrous Chloride with Chlorine

2FeCl_{2}+Cl_{2}\rightarrow 2FeCl_{3}

• Oxidation of Ferrous Chloride in presence of Oxygen and Hydrochloric acid

4FeCl_{2}+O_{2}+4HCl\rightarrow 4FeCl_{3}+2H_{2}O

• Trimethylsilyl chloride can be used to treat hydrated Ferric Chloride to make it anhydrous Ferric Chloride.

FeCl_{3}.6H_{2}O+12\left ( CH_{3} \right )_{3}SiCl\rightarrow FeCl_{3}+6\left ( \left ( CH_{3} \right )_{3}Si \right )_{2}O+12HCl

Ferric chloride test

Ferric Chloride test is used to detect the presence of Phenol in a given sample. This test can also be used to detect compounds like Oximes, Sulphinic acids, Enols and Hydroxamic acid. The Folin-Ciocalteau assay can be used to calculate the amount of phenol present in the sample.

Procedure for the test:

1. Initially dissolve the sample in ethanol and water.

2. Add a few drops of 1% Ferric Chloride solution (FeCl_{3} ) which is neutralized with sodium hydroxide until some precipitate of FeO(OH) is obtained.

3. If the sample develops a red, green, purple, or blue colouring, phenols are present.

4. If the sample is not soluble in water, it can be dissolved in dichloromethane (CH_{2}Cl_{2} ) with a little amount of pyridine (C_{5}H_{5}N ).

Uses of ferric chloride

• Used in wastewater treatment: Ferric chloride is primarily utilized in the treatment of wastewater as a flocculant and coagulant and for the removal of pollutants from water. Additionally, ferric chloride is one of the few water treatment agents still in use that can control odours.

• Used in the production of Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) by etching Copper (Cu) in a two step redox process.

• Used in Chloride Hydrometallurgy as a leaching agent.

• When ethylene reacts with chlorine to produce ethylene dichloride (1,2-dichloroethane), iron(III) chloride is utilised as the catalyst. Vinyl chloride, the monomer needed to create PVC, is mostly produced industrially using vinyl chloride.

C_{2}H_{4}+Cl_{2}\rightarrow ClCH_{2}CH_{2}Cl

• Used to detect the presence of phenols, gamma-butyrolactone and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid.

• Used by pattern welders and bladesmiths to etch the metal and create a contrasty effect to observe metal layers or flaws.

• Used to etch iron meteorites with the widmanstatten pattern.

• Used to remove the aluminium coating from mirrors.

• Used to etch complex medical equipment.

• Used to treat overgrown animal claws in veterinary medicine, especially when the overgrowth causes bleeding.

• Used to evaluate the resistance of stainless steels and other alloys against pitting and crevice corrosion.

• Utilised in an animal model of thrombosis.

• Utilised in a test energy storage device.