Indium(I) chloride (also indium monochloride) is the chemical compound with the formula InCl. Indium monochloride occurs as a yellow cubic form below 120 °C and above this temperature as a red orthorhombic form. InCl is one of three known indium chlorides.

Synthesis and structure

InCl can be prepared by heating indium metal with indium trichloride in a sealed tube. According to

X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science of determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to Diffraction, diffract in specific directions. By measuring th ...

, the structure of the yellow polymorph resembles that of

sodium chloride Sodium chloride , commonly known as Salt#Edible salt, edible salt, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. It is transparent or translucent, brittle, hygroscopic, and occurs a ...

except that the Cl-In-Cl angles are not 90°, but range between 71 and 130°. The red (high T) polymorph crystallizes in the

thallium(I) iodide Thallium(I) iodide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is exists as both a solid and high temperature red polymorph. Thallium(I) iodide is one of several water-insoluble metal iodides, along with AgI, CuI, SnI2, SnI4, PbI2, and Hg ...

motif.

Reactivity

The relatively high energy level of the 5s electrons of the indium center make InCl susceptible to oxidation as well as disproportionation into In(0) and InCl₃.

Tetrahydrofuran Tetrahydrofuran (THF), or oxolane, is an organic compound with the formula (CH2)4O. The compound is classified as heterocyclic compound, specifically a cyclic ether. It is a colorless, water- miscible organic liquid with low viscosity. It is ...

(THF) appears to facilitate the disproptionation of InCl as well as other indium(I) halides.

History

Indium(I) chloride was first isolated in 1926 as part of an investigation on the compounds formed between indium and chlorine.

References

{{Inorganic-compound-stub Chlorides Indium(I) compounds Metal halides