Cadmium chloride is a white crystalline compound of cadmium and chloride, with the formula CdCl2. This salt is a hygroscopic solid that is highly soluble in water and slightly soluble in alcohol. The crystal structure of cadmium chloride (described below), is a reference for describing other crystal structures. Also known are CdCl2•H2O and the hemipentahydrate CdCl2•2.5H2O.[2]
Structure
Anhydrous
Anhydrous cadmium chloride forms a layered structure consisting of octahedral Cd2+ centers linked with chloride ligands. Cadmium iodide, CdI2, has a similar structure, but the iodide ions are arranged in a HCP lattice, whereas in CdCl2 the chloride ions are arranged in a CCP lattice.[8][9]
Hydrates
The anhydrous form absorbs moisture from the air to form various hydrates. Three of these hydrates have been examined by X-ray crystallography.
Crystallographic data for the 3 hydrates of cadmium chloride
Cadmium chloride dissolves well in water and other polar solvents. It is a mild Lewis acid.[8]
CdCl2 + 2 Cl− → [CdCl4]2−
Solutions of equimolar cadmium chloride and potassium chloride give potassium cadmium trichloride.[13]
With large cations, it is possible to isolate the trigonal bipyramidal [CdCl5]3− ion.
Cadmium metal is soluble in molten cadmium chloride, produced by heating cadmium chloride above 568 °C. Upon cooling, the metal precipitates.[14]
The anhydrous salt can also be prepared from anhydrous cadmium acetate using hydrogen chloride or acetyl chloride.[15]
Industrially, it is produced by the reaction of molten cadmium and chlorine gas at 600 °C.[14]
The monohydrate, hemipentahydrate, and tetrahydrate can be produced by evaporation of the solution of cadmium chloride at 35, 20, and 0 °C respectively. The hemipentahydrate and tetrahydrate release water in air.[10][11][12]
^ abH. Leligny; J. C. Monier (1979). "Structure de dichlorure de cadmium tétrahydraté" [Structure of cadmium dichloride tetrahydrate]. Acta Crystallographica B (in French). 35 (3): 569–573. Bibcode:1979AcCrB..35..569L. doi:10.1107/S0567740879004179.
^F. Wagenknecht; R. Juza (1963). "Potassium cadmium chloride". In G. Brauer (ed.). Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry, 2nd Ed. Vol. 2. NY, NY: Academic Press. p. 1095.