Indium(II) chloride explained

Indium(II) chloride is an hypothetical inorganic compound with the formula . Its existence have been disproved and the substance claimed to be indium(II) chloride is a mixture of various indium subchlorides.

History

Indium(II) chloride was first reported to be produced in 1888 by Lars Fredrik Nilson who claimed to have produced indium(II) chloride from the reaction of indium metal and hydrogen chloride gas at 200 °C.^[1] However, this has been called into doubt as characterization by X-ray diffraction and NMR failed.

In 1983, an investigation found that the solid claimed to be indium(II) chloride is actually a 5:1 mixture of In₅Cl₉, alternatively formulated In₃[In₂Cl₉], and InCl₃.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Lars Fredrik Nilson . Sven Otto Pettersson . Lars Fredrik Nilson . Über zwei neue Indiumchloride und über die Dampfdichte der Chloride von Indium, Gallium, Eisen und Chrom . Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie . 1888 . 2 . 1 . 657-675 . 10.1515/zpch-1888-0278 . de.
2. Gerd Meyer . Roger Blachnik . Neue Untersuchungen an gemischtvalenten Indium(I, III)- chloriden: Das Phasendiagramm In/Cl im Bereich 30–50 mol-% In und die Kristallstruktur von In5Cl9 . Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie . 1983 . 503 . 126-132 . 10.1002/zaac.19835030813 . de.