Iron(III) sulfide

Iron(III) sulfide
IUPAC name Iron(III) sulfide
Other names Iron sesquisulfide Ferric sulfide Diiron trisulfide
Identifiers
CAS number	12063-27-3
PubChem	160957
Properties
Molecular formula	Fe2S3
Molar mass	207.90 g/mol [1]
Appearance	yellow-green [1]
Density	4.3 g/cm3 [1]
Melting point	decomposition [1]
Solubility in water	very slightly soluble [1]
Y sulfide (verify) (what is: Y/N?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Iron(III) sulfide, also known as ferric sulfide or sesquisulfide, is one of the three iron sulfides besides FeS and FeS₂. It is a solid, black powder but decays at ambient temperature into a yellow-green powder.

This is a relatively unstable artificial product that does not occur in nature.

Preparation and properties

Fe₂S₃ is prepared by addition of refrigerated iron(III) chloride dilution to also cooled sodium sulfide dilution.

2 FeCl₃ + 3 Na₂S → Fe₂S₃↓ + 6 NaCl

which decays at a temperature over 20°C into FeS and sulphur. ^[2]

Fe₂S₃ → 2 FeS + S↓

With hydrochloric acid it decays according to the following reaction equation: ^[3]

Fe₂S₃ + 4 HCl → 2 FeCl₂ + 2 H₂S↑ + S↓

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Charles D. Hodgman, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (1961), p.590
2. ^ Holleman, Wiberg: Inorganic Chemistry (2001), p. 1451; ISBN 0-12-352651-5
3. ^ H. Roempp, Chemie (1997), S. 1099; ISBN 3-13-734710-6