Rhodium(III) bromide explained

Rhodium(III) bromide refers to inorganic compounds of the formula RhBr₃(H₂O)_n where n = 0 or approximately three. Both forms are brown solids. The hydrate is soluble in water and lower alcohols. It is used to prepare rhodium bromide complexes.^[1] Rhodium bromides are similar to the chlorides, but have attracted little academic or commercial attention.

Structure

Rhodium(III) bromide adopts the aluminium chloride crystal structure.^{[2] [3]}

Reactions

Rhodium(III) bromide is a starting material for the synthesis of other rhodium halides. For example, it reacts with bromine trifluoride to form rhodium(IV) fluoride and with aqueous potassium iodide to form rhodium(III) iodide. Like most other rhodium trihalides, anhydrous RhBr₃ is insoluble in water. The dihydrate RhBr₃·2H₂O forms when rhodium metal reacts with hydrochloric acid and bromine.

Notes and References

1. Book: Tris(triphenylphosphine)halorhodium(I) . J. A. . Osborn . G. . Wilkinson . Inorganic Syntheses . 1967 . 10 . 67. 10.1002/9780470132418.ch12. 978-0-470-13169-5 .
2. Strukturuntersuchungen an Rhodiumhalogeniden . K. . Brodersen . G. . Thiele . I. . Recke . . 14 . 1 . 1968 . 151–152 . 10.1016/0022-5088(68)90214-2 .
3. Web site: ICSD Entry: 28245 Br₃ Rh . . Cambridge Structural Database

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