Antimony trichloride

Chembox new
Name = Antimony trichloride
ImageFile = SbCl3.png ImageSize = 150px
ImageName = Antimony trichloride
OtherNames = butter of antimony
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 10025-91-9
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = SbCl₃
MolarMass = 228.11 g/mol
Appearance = colorless solid
sharp, pungent odor
Density = 3.140 g/cm³, solid
Solubility = 602g/100cm³@0°C
910g/100cm³@20°C
Solvent = Organic solvents
SolubleOther = soluble in ABS alcohol
soluble in tartaric acid
soluble in methylene chloride
soluble in benzene
soluble in acetone.
MeltingPt = 73.4°C
BoilingPt = 222.6°C
Section7 = Chembox Hazards
EUClass = not listed
NFPA-H = 3
NFPA-R = 1
NFPA-F = 0

Antimony trichloride is the chemical compound with the formula SbCl₃. This a soft colorless solid was known to the alchemists as butter of antimony. It has a pungent odor, and on contact with water, it undergoes hydrolysis, forming antimony oxychloride and releasing hydrogen chloride. Thus, samples of SbCl₃ must be protected from moisture.:SbCl₃ + H₂O → SbOCl + 2HCl

Further indicating its Lewis acidity, SbCl₃ forms adducts with chloride, e.g. [SbCl₅] ²⁻. [Zarychta, B.; Zaleski, J. "Phase transitions mechanism and distortion of SbCl₆³⁻ octahedra in bis("n"-butylammonium) pentachloroantimonate(III) (C₄H₉NH₃)₂ [SbCl₅] ". "Z. Naturforsch. B" 2006, "61", 1101–1109. [http://www.znaturforsch.com/ab/v61b/61b1101.pdf Abstract (PDF)] ]

SbCl₃ is a reagent for detecting vitamin A and related carotenoids in the Carr-Price test. The antimony trichloride reacts with the carotenoid to form a blue complex that can be measured by colorimetry.

Antimony trichloride has also been used to enhance the "louche" effect in absinthe. It has been used in the past to dissolve and remove horn stubs from calves without having to cut them off.

References