Dichlorine hexoxide is the
chemical compound
A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...
with the
molecular formula
In chemistry, a chemical formula is a way of presenting information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound or molecule, using chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes also other symbols, ...
, which is correct for its gaseous state. However, in liquid or solid form, this
chlorine oxide
Chlorine and oxygen can bond in many ways:
* chlorine monoxide, , chlorine (II) oxide
* chlorine peroxide, , dimer of chlorine (II) oxide
* chlorine dioxide, , chlorine (IV) oxide
* chloroperoxyl,
*chlorine trioxide, ClO3, chlorine (VI) oxide
* ...
ionizes into the dark red ionic compound chloryl perchlorate , which may be thought of as the mixed
anhydride
An organic acid anhydride is an acid anhydride that is an organic compound. An acid anhydride is a compound that has two acyl groups bonded to the same oxygen atom. A common type of organic acid anhydride is a carboxylic anhydride, where the pa ...
of
chloric and
perchloric acid
Perchloric acid is a mineral acid with the formula H Cl O4. Usually found as an aqueous solution, this colorless compound is a stronger acid than sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. It is a powerful oxidizer when hot, but aqueous sol ...
s.
It is produced by reaction between
chlorine dioxide
Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula ClO2 that exists as yellowish-green gas above 11 °C, a reddish-brown liquid between 11 °C and −59 °C, and as bright orange crystals below −59 °C. It is usually ...
and excess
ozone
Ozone (), or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula . It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope , breaking down in the lo ...
:
:2 + 2 → 2 + 2 → + 2
Molecular structure
It was originally reported to exist as the monomeric chlorine trioxide ClO
3 in gas phase, but was later shown to remain an oxygen-bridged dimer after evaporation and until thermal decomposition into
chlorine perchlorate
Chlorine perchlorate is a chemical compound with the formula Cl2O4. This chlorine oxide is an asymmetric oxide, with one chlorine atom in +1 oxidation state and the other +7, with proper formula ClOClO3. It is produced by the photodimerization o ...
, Cl
2O
4, and oxygen. The compound ClO
3 was then rediscovered.
It is a dark red fuming liquid at room temperature that crystallizes as a red ionic compound, chloryl perchlorate, . The red color shows the presence of
chloryl
In chemistry, chloryl refers to a triatomic cation with chemical formula . This species has the same general structure as chlorite () but it is electronically different, with chlorine having a +5 oxidation state (rather than the +3 of chlorit ...
ions. Thus, chlorine's formal oxidation state in this compound remains a mixture of chlorine (V) and chlorine (VII) both in the gas phase and when condensed; however by breaking one oxygen-chlorine bond some electron density does shifts towards the chlorine (VII).
Properties
Cl
2O
6 is
diamagnetic
Diamagnetic materials are repelled by a magnetic field; an applied magnetic field creates an induced magnetic field in them in the opposite direction, causing a repulsive force. In contrast, paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials are attracted ...
and is a very strong oxidizing agent. Although stable at room temperature, it explodes violently on contact with organic compounds and reacts with
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
to produce the
chloryl
In chemistry, chloryl refers to a triatomic cation with chemical formula . This species has the same general structure as chlorite () but it is electronically different, with chlorine having a +5 oxidation state (rather than the +3 of chlorit ...
salt . Many other reactions involving Cl
2O
6 reflect its ionic structure, , including the following:
:NO
2F + Cl
2O
6 → NO
2ClO
4 + ClO
2F
:NO + Cl
2O
6 → NOClO
4 + ClO
2
:2 V
2O
5 + 12 Cl
2O
6 → 4 VO(ClO
4)
3 + 12 ClO
2 + 3 O
2
:SnCl
4 + 6 Cl
2O
6 →
2">lO2sub>2
4)6">n(ClO4)6+ 4 ClO
2 + 2 Cl
2
:2Au + 6Cl
2O
6 → 2 + Cl
2
Nevertheless, it can also react as a source of the ClO
3 radical:
:2 AsF
5 + Cl
2O
6 → 2 ClO
3AsF
5
References
{{oxygen compounds
Chlorine oxides
Acidic oxides
Perchlorates
Chloryl compounds
Chlorine(V) compounds
Chlorine(VII) compounds