Pentaamminechlororhodium dichloride explained

Pentamminechlororhodium dichloride is the dichloride salt of the coordination complex . It is a yellow, water-soluble solid. The salt is an intermediate in the purification of rhodium from its ores.

As shown by X-ray crystallography, the salt consists of the octahedral complex and two chloride counterions.^[1] It forms from the reaction of rhodium trichloride and ammonia in ethanol.^[2] Two chloride anions are labile, whereas the coordinated chloride ligand is not.

Treatment of with zinc dust in the presence of ammonia gives the hydride complex [RhH(NH₃)₅]²⁺.^{[2] [3]}

Related compounds

• Chloropentamminecobalt chloride

References

1. 10.1021/ic00245a020. Comparisons of pi-Bonding and Hydrogen Bonding in Isomorphous Compounds: [M(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂ (M = Cr, Co, Rh, Ir, Ru, Os). 1986. Hambley. Trevor W.. Lay. Peter A.. Inorganic Chemistry. 25. 25. 4553–4558.
2. 10.1002/9780470132449.ch43. Pentaamminechlororhodium(III) Dichloride and Pentaamminehydridorhodium(III) Sulfate. Inorganic Syntheses. 1972. Osborn. J. A.. Thomas. K.. Wilkinson. G.. 213–215. 13.
3. 10.1039/j19680001801. The Preparation of Hydridopentammine- and Hydridoaquotetramminerhodium(III) Sulphates and Other Salts; the Formation of Alkyl and Fluoroalkyl Derivatives. 1968. Thomas. K.. Osborn. J. A.. Powell. A. R.. Wilkinson. G.. Journal of the Chemical Society A. 1801.