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 elemen ...

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 symbol ...

, 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) oxid ...

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 p ...

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 so ...

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 lowe ...

: :2 + 2 → 2 + 2 → + 2

Molecular structure

It was originally reported to exist as the monomeric chlorine trioxide ClO₃ in gas phase, but was later shown to remain an oxygen-bridged dimer after evaporation and until thermal decomposition into chlorine perchlorate, Cl₂O₄, and oxygen. The compound ClO₃ 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 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

Cl₂O₆ 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 m ...

to produce the chloryl salt . Many other reactions involving Cl₂O₆ reflect its ionic structure, , including the following: :NO₂F + Cl₂O₆ → NO₂ClO₄ + ClO₂F :NO + Cl₂O₆ → NOClO₄ + ClO₂ :2 V₂O₅ + 12 Cl₂O₆ → 4 VO(ClO₄)₃ + 12 ClO₂ + 3 O₂ :SnCl₄ + 6 Cl₂O₆ → lO₂sub>2 n(ClO₄)₆+ 4 ClO₂ + 2 Cl₂ :2Au + 6Cl₂O₆ → 2 + Cl₂ Nevertheless, it can also react as a source of the ClO₃ radical: :2 AsF₅ + Cl₂O₆ → 2 ClO₃AsF₅

References

{{oxygen compounds Chlorine oxides Acidic oxides Perchlorates Chloryl compounds Chlorine(V) compounds Chlorine(VII) compounds