Lutetium(III) chloride or lutetium trichloride 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 ...

composed of

lutetium Lutetium is a chemical element with the symbol Lu and atomic number 71. It is a silvery white metal, which resists corrosion in dry air, but not in moist air. Lutetium is the last element in the lanthanide series, and it is traditionally counted am ...

and

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate betwee ...

with the

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwee ...

LuCl₃. It forms

hygroscopic Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption or adsorption from the surrounding environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. If water molecules become suspended among the substance ...

white

monoclinic In crystallography, the monoclinic crystal system is one of the seven crystal systems. A crystal system is described by three vectors. In the monoclinic system, the crystal is described by vectors of unequal lengths, as in the orthorhombic s ...

crystals and also a hydroscopic hexahydrate LuCl₃·6H₂O. Anhydrous lutetium(III) chloride has the YCl₃ (AlCl₃) layer structure with octahedral lutetium ions.Wells A.F. (1984) ''Structural Inorganic Chemistry'' 5th edition Oxford Science Publications

Reactions

Pure lutetium metal can be produced from lutetium(III) chloride by heating it together with elemental

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...

: :2 LuCl₃ + 3 Ca → 2 Lu + 3 CaCl₂

References

Lutetium compounds Chlorides Lanthanide halides {{inorganic-compound-stub

Reactions

See also

References