ferric chloride (liquid)

Other commercial names

Iron(III) chloride, Iron trichloride, Ferric chloride, Molysite, Flores martis

Chemical formula

FeCl₃

Product type

Industrial

Interactions

In the laboratory, Ferric chloride is usually used as a Lewis acid to catalyze reactions such as chlorination of aromatic compounds and Friedel–Crafts reactions of aromatics. Iron(III) chloride (FeCl3 ) has less power than aluminum chloride (AlCl3), but in some cases, this lower power leads to higher yields, for example in alkaline benzene.

Production Process

It is manufactured industrially by the reaction of dry chlorine with scrap iron at a temperature of 500 to 700 degrees Celsius. This process is known as direct chlorination

storage

Ferric chloride containers should be made either of plastic / acid resistant plastic, or should have inner coating of plastic / acid resistant plastic. They also should be moisture resistance and be invulnerable to air and moisture.