Tungsten(III) chloride is the

inorganic compound An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds⁠that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as ''inorganic chemistry''. Inorgan ...

with the formula W₆Cl₁₈. It is a

cluster compound Nanoclusters are atomically precise, crystalline materials most often existing on the 0-2 nanometer scale. They are often considered kinetically stable intermediates that form during the synthesis of comparatively larger materials such as semic ...

. It is a brown solid, obtainable by chlorination of

tungsten(II) chloride Tungsten(II) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula W6Cl12. It is a polymeric Octahedral cluster, cluster compound. The material dissolves in concentrated hydrochloric acid, forming (H3O)2 6Cl14H2O)x. Heating this salt gives yell ...

. Featuring twelve doubly bridging chloride ligands, the cluster adopts a structure related to the corresponding chlorides of niobium and tantalum. In contrast, W₆Cl₁₂ features eight triply bridging chlorides. A related mixed valence W(III)-W(IV) chloride is prepared by reduction of the hexachloride with

bismuth Bismuth is a chemical element; it has symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a post-transition metal and one of the pnictogens, with chemical properties resembling its lighter group 15 siblings arsenic and antimony. Elemental bismuth occurs nat ...

: :9 WCl₆ + 8 Bi → 3 W₃Cl₁₀ + 8 BiCl₃

References

{{Chlorides Tungsten halides Chlorides Octahedral compounds