Ferric

In chemistry, iron(III) or ferric refers to the elementiron in its +3 oxidation state. Ferric chloride is an alternative name for iron(III) chloride (FeCl₃). The adjective ferrous is used instead for iron(II) salts, containing the cation Fe. The word is derived from the Latin word , meaning "iron".

Although often abbreviated as Fe, that naked ion does not exist except under extreme conditions. Iron(III) centres are found in many compounds and coordination complexes, where Fe(III) is bonded to several ligands. A molecular ferric complex is the anionferrioxalate, [Fe(C₂O₄)₃], with three bidentateoxalate ions surrounding the Fe core. Relative to lower oxidation states, ferric is less common in organoiron chemistry, but the ferrocenium cation [Fe(C₅H₅)₂] is well known.