Iron oxychloride is the inorganic compound with the formula FeOCl. This purple solid adopts a layered structure, akin to that of cadmium chloride. The material slowly

hydrolyses Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water is the nucleophile. Biological hydrolysis ...

in moist air. The solid intercalates

electron donor In chemistry, an electron donor is a chemical entity that donates electrons to another compound. It is a reducing agent that, by virtue of its donating electrons, is itself oxidized in the process. Typical reducing agents undergo permanent chemi ...

s such as

tetrathiafulvalene Tetrathiafulvalene is an organosulfur compound with the formula (. Studies on this heterocyclic compound contributed to the development of molecular electronics. TTF is related to the hydrocarbon fulvalene, , by replacement of four CH groups w ...

and even

pyridine Pyridine is a basic heterocyclic organic compound with the chemical formula . It is structurally related to benzene, with one methine group replaced by a nitrogen atom. It is a highly flammable, weakly alkaline, water-miscible liquid with a ...

to give

mixed valence Mixed valence complexes contain an chemical element, element which is present in more than one oxidation state. Well-known mixed valence compounds include the Creutz–Taube complex, Prussian blue, and molybdenum blue. Many solids are mixed-vale ...

charge-transfer salts. Intercalation is accompanied by a marked increase in electrical conductivity and a color change to black.

Production

FeOCl is prepared by heating iron(III) oxide with

ferric chloride Iron(III) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula . Also called ferric chloride, it is a common compound of iron in the +3 oxidation state. The anhydrous compound is a crystalline solid with a melting point of 307.6 °C. The col ...

at over the course of several days: :Fe₂O₃ + FeCl₃ → 3 FeOCl Alternatively, FeOCl may be prepared by the

thermal decomposition Thermal decomposition, or thermolysis, is a chemical decomposition caused by heat. The decomposition temperature of a substance is the temperature at which the substance chemically decomposes. The reaction is usually endothermic as heat is re ...

of FeCl₃⋅6H₂O at over the course of one hour: :FeCl₃ ⋅ 6H₂O → FeOCl + 5 H₂O + 2 HCl

References

Chlorides Iron(III) compounds Metal halides Oxychlorides {{Inorganic-compound-stub