Ruthenium(III) chloride Property

Melting point:

500 °C

Density 

3.11 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)

storage temp. 

Keep in dark place,Inert atmosphere,Room temperature

solubility 

insoluble in H2O; slightly soluble in ethanol

form 

Powder or Crystals

color 

Black

Water Solubility 

INSOLUBLE

Sensitive 

Hygroscopic

Crystal Structure

AlCl3 type

crystal system

Monoclinic

Merck 

14,8302

Space group

C2/m

Lattice constant

a/nm	b/nm	c/nm	α/o	β/o	γ/o	V/nm3
0.606	1.036	0.598	90	109.2	90	0.355

Stability:

Stable. Incompatible with zinc. Protect from moisture.

InChI

InChI=1S/3ClH.Ru/h3*1H;/q;;;+3/p-3

InChIKey

YBCAZPLXEGKKFM-UHFFFAOYSA-K

SMILES

[Ru](Cl)(Cl)Cl

CAS DataBase Reference

10049-08-8(CAS DataBase Reference)

EPA Substance Registry System

Ruthenium chloride (RuCl3) (10049-08-8)

Safety

Hazard Codes 

C

Risk Statements 

34-52/53-22

Safety Statements 

26-36/37/39-45-61

RIDADR 

UN 3260 8/PG 2

WGK Germany 

2

RTECS 

VM2650000

TSCA 

Yes

HazardClass 

8

PackingGroup 

III

HS Code 

28439000

Hazard and Precautionary Statements (GHS)

Symbol(GHS)

Signal word

Danger

Hazard statements

H302Harmful if swallowed

H314Causes severe skin burns and eye damage

H411Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects

Precautionary statements

P260Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.

P273Avoid release to the environment.

P280Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.

P301+P312IF SWALLOWED: call a POISON CENTER or doctor/physician IF you feel unwell.

P303+P361+P353IF ON SKIN (or hair): Remove/Take off Immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse SKIN with water/shower.

P305+P351+P338IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continuerinsing.

Ruthenium(III) chloride Chemical Properties,Usage,Production

Chemical Properties

The trihydrate, RuCl3·3H2O, is the usual commercial form. Aqueous solutions of the trihydrate are a straw color in dilute solution and red-brown in concentrated solution. Ruthenium (III) chloride in solution apparently forms a variety of aquo- and hydroxy complexes.

Physical properties

Ruthenium(III) chloride is a reddish brown or black leafy crystal, easily deliquescent. It forms a dark red solution. Relative density 3.11, decomposed into monomers when it is higher than 500°C. It is insoluble in cold water and carbon disulfide. Insoluble in cold water and carbon disulfide, decompose in hot water, insoluble in ethanol, soluble in hydrochloric acid.

Uses

Ruthenium(III) chloride is widely used as a starting material of ruthenium complexes. It acts as a catalyst used in the oxidative cyclization of 1,7-dienes to oxepane diols. It is used in the hydroxylation of tertiary hydrocarbons in combination of periodate or bromate. It is involved as a catalyst in the synthesis of 2,3-pyridinedicarboxylic acid-13C3, 15N, where the unlabelled analog is an inhibitor of glucose synthesis.

Application

Ruthenium(III) trichloride is highly toxic and finds application in chemistry laboratories for technical analysis, particularly in the testing of sulfur trioxide. Ruthenium trichloride is by far the best starting material for the synthesis of compounds of the metal. Like osmium, ruthenium exhibits a wide range of oxidation states in its complexes (VIII to —II), and all of these may be reached from RuCl3 since, although it is stable, it can easily be oxidised or reduced. It is most commonly used in the hydrated form, this being soluble in many solvents, but for anhydrous or solid-state reactions β-RuCl3 is the best source.

Production Methods

RuCl3, is made by direct chlorination of the metal at 700 °C (1,292 °F). Two allotropic forms result. The trihydrate is made by evaporating an HCl solution of ruthenium (III) hydroxide to dryness or reducing ruthenium (VIII) oxide in a HCl solution.

Reactions

Ruthenium(III) chloride interacts with potassium iodide to produce an iodide precipitate, precipitates as ruthenium trisulphide when hydrogen sulphide is introduced into the solution, and can form the corresponding ammonia, cyanide, and nitrite complexes with ammonia, potassium cyanide, and potassium nitrite complexes, and is reduced to blue divalent ruthenium ions when interacting with sodium amalgam or titanium trichloride.

Safety Profile

Poison by intraperitoneal route. Incompatible with iron pentacarbonyl and zinc. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of RuO, and Cl-. See also RUTHENIUM COMPOUNDS.