Thulium(III) chloride

Thulium(III) chloride or thulium trichloride is as an inorganic salt composed of thulium and chlorine with the formula TmCl₃. It forms yellow crystals. Thulium(III) chloride has the YCl₃ (AlCl₃) layer structure with octahedral thulium ions.^[5] It has been used as a starting material for some exotic nanostructures prepared for NIR photocatalysis.^[6][7]

Thulium(III) chloride

Names
IUPAC name Thulium(III) chloride
Other names Thulium chloride, thulium trichloride
Identifiers
CAS Number	13537-18-3 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ECHA InfoCard	100.033.535
EC Number	236-904-9
PubChem CID	61643
RTECS number	XP0525000
UNII	73TYF012WF Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID4065529
InChI InChI=1S/3ClH.Tm/h3*1H;/q;;;+3/p-3
SMILES Cl[Tm](Cl)Cl
Properties
Chemical formula	TmCl3
Molar mass	275.292 g/mol
Appearance	yellow crystals
Density	3.98 g/cm3
Melting point	824 °C (1,515 °F; 1,097 K)
Boiling point	1,490 °C (2,710 °F; 1,760 K)
Solubility in water	heptahydrate: very soluble
Solubility	heptahydrate: very soluble in ethanol[1]
Structure
Crystal structure	Monoclinic, mS16
Space group	C12/m1, No. 12
Coordination geometry	6[2]
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−966.6 kJ/mol[3]
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards	Irritant
GHS labelling:[4]
Pictograms
Signal word	Warning
Hazard statements	H315, H319, H335
Precautionary statements	P261, P264, P271, P280, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P312, P332+P313, P337+P313, P362, P403+P233, P405, P501
Related compounds
Other anions	Thulium(III) oxide
Other cations	Erbium(III) chloride Ytterbium(III) chloride Thulium(II) chloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Preparation

Thulium(III) chloride can be obtained by reacting thulium(III) oxide or thulium(III) carbonate and ammonium chloride:^[8]

Tm₂O₃ + 6 NH₄Cl → 2 TmCl₃ + 6 NH₃ + 2 H₂O

The hexahydrate of thulium(III) chloride can be obtained by adding thulium(III) oxide to concentrated hydrochloric acid.^[1][8]

2 Tm + 6 HCl → 2 TmCl₃ + 3 H₂

Thulium(III) chloride can also be obtained by directly reacting thulium and chlorine:^[9]

2 Tm + 3 Cl₂ → 2 TmCl₃

Properties

Thulium(III) chloride is a light yellow powder. Its hexahydrate is a light green hygroscopic solid.^[6] Both are soluble in water.^[10] Thulium(III) chloride has a monoclinic crystal structure with the space group C2/m (No. 12) corresponding to that of aluminum(III) chloride.^[10][8]

Thulium(III) chloride reacts with strong bases to make thulium(III) oxide.