Lutetium(III) chloride or lutetium trichloride is the

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

composed of

lutetium Lutetium is a chemical element; it has symbol Lu and atomic number 71. It is a silvery white metal, which resists corrosion in dry air, but not in moist air. Lutetium is the last element in the lanthanide series, and it is traditionally counted am ...

and

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between ...

with the

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwe ...

LuCl₃. It forms

hygroscopic Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption (chemistry), absorption or adsorption from the surrounding Natural environment, environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. If water mol ...

white

monoclinic In crystallography, the monoclinic crystal system is one of the seven crystal systems. A crystal system is described by three Vector (geometric), vectors. In the monoclinic system, the crystal is described by vectors of unequal lengths, as in t ...

crystals and also a hygroscopic hexahydrate LuCl₃·6H₂O. Anhydrous lutetium(III) chloride has the YCl₃ (AlCl₃) layer structure with octahedral lutetium ions. Lutetium-177, a radioisotope that can be derived from lutetium(III) chloride, is used in targeted cancer therapies. When lutetium-177 is attached to molecules that specifically target cancer cells, it can deliver localized radiation to destroy those cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. This makes lutetium-177-based treatments especially valuable for cancers that are difficult to treat with traditional methods, such as neuroendocrine tumors and prostate cancer. Additionally, lutetium(III) chloride is used in

scintillator A scintillator ( ) is a material that exhibits scintillation, the property of luminescence, when excited by ionizing radiation. Luminescent materials, when struck by an incoming particle, absorb its energy and scintillate (i.e. re-emit the ab ...

s, materials that emit light when exposed to radiation. These scintillators are crucial in detectors for gamma rays and other high-energy particles, used in both medical diagnostics and in scientific research.

Reactions

Pure lutetium metal can be produced from lutetium(III) chloride by heating it together with elemental

calcium Calcium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to it ...

: :2 LuCl₃ + 3 Ca → 2 Lu + 3 CaCl₂

References

{{Lanthanide halides Lutetium compounds Chlorides Lanthanide halides

Reactions

See also

References