Rhenium(IV) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula ReCl4. This black solid is of interest as a binary phase but otherwise is of little practical value. A second polymorph of ReCl4 is also known.[1]

Rhenium(IV) chloride
Unit cell of β-Rhenium(IV) chloride under standard conditions.
Unit cell of Rhenium(IV) chloride.
Names
Other names
rhenium tetrachloride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.033.612 Edit this at Wikidata
  • 18469522 PubChem has incorrect charge balance
  • InChI=1S/4Cl.Re
    Key: YPYBYMCXDNTAKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • [Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Re+4]
Properties
Cl4Re
Molar mass 328.01 g·mol−1
Appearance black solid
Density 4.5 g·cm−3 (β)
Structure[1]
Primitive monoclinic
P2/c, No. 13
a = 636.2 pm, b = 627.3 pm, c = 1216.5 pm
α = 90°, β = 93.15°, γ = 90°[1]
4
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Preparation

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ReCl4 can be prepared by comproportionation of rhenium(V) chloride and rhenium(III) chloride. It can also be produced by reduction of rhenium(V) chloride with antimony trichloride.[2]

 

Tetrachloroethylene at 120 °C is also effective as a reductant:

 

Structure

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X-ray crystallography reveals a polymeric structure. The Re–Re bonding distance is 2.728 Å. Re centers are octahedral, being surrounded by six chloride ligands. Pairs of octahedra share faces. The Re2Cl9 subunits are linked by bridging chloride ligands. The structural motif - corner-shared bioctahedra - is unusual in the binary metal halides.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Cotton FA, DeBoer BG, Mester Z (1973). "Chemistry of Rhenium(IV) Chloride. II. Structure of One of the Polymorphs (β) and Evidence for a New Polymorph (γ)". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 95 (4): 1159–1163. doi:10.1021/ja00785a027.
  2. ^ Erwin Riedel; Christoph Janiak (2011). Anorganische Chemie. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-311022567-9.