CuCl can easily be produced hydrometallurgically by the reduction of Cu2+ in the presence of Cl- ions1:
2 CuCl2(aq) + Na2SO3(aq) + H2O(l) → 2 CuCl(s) + Na2SO4(aq) + 2 HCl(aq) |
Several different reducing agents can be used, such as metallic copper, sulfurous acid, hydroxylamine, hydrazine, or phosphorous acid. The copper(I) chloride solution is produced, for example, by mixing a copper(II) chloride solution with metallic copper in the presence of hydrochloric acid or sodium chloride. The colorless to brown solution is stable only in the absence of air. Continuous preparations of copper(I) chloride solutions have been developed2,3. When they are diluted with water, a white crystalline material precipitates which can be vacuum dried or washed with sulfurous acid, then with alcohol and ether, and carefully dried. Zinc has also been used as a reducing agent in a more recent process4.
In this procedure, a hot aqueous solution of CuCl2 is prepared in situ from hydrated copper sulfate and sodium chloride (table salt). The addition of 0.5 equivalents of sodium bisulfite smoothly reduced Cu2+ to Cu+ ions, which precipitated as the sparingly soluble CuCl upon returning to room temp.
2 CuSO4·5H2O + 2 NaCl + NaHSO3 + NaOH → 2 CuCl + 2 NaHSO4 + Na2SO4 + 4 H2O |
In a 100-mL round-bottom flask, prepare a solution of 6 g (24 mmol) of powdered copper sulfate pentahydrate and 1.8 g (30.75 mmol) of sodium chloride in 20 mL of hot water. in a beaker prepare a solution of 1.4 g (13.5 mmol) of sodium bisulfite and 0.9 g (22.5 mmol) of solid sodium hydroxide in about 1.4 mL of water, and add this solution to with swirling to the hot copper sulfate solution over a period of 5-10 min. Cool the mixture to room temperature, allow the cuprous chloride to settle, and decant off the liquid. Wash the precipitated cuprous chloride 2 or 3 times with water by decantation. The cuprous chloride is obtained as a white powder that darkens on exposure to air.
[Anonymous Voice:]
I prepared cuprous chloride by mixing copper wire, CuCO3 and a excess of commercial 20% HCl and warming it near boiling point until all copper was
dissolved. It was the deposition of a white powder (cuprous chloride). This product can't be dried because it oxidizes quickly, it was washed with water.
Normal reaction is with copper wire or powder, CuCl2 and HCl, but I had then CuCO3.
[Osmium's Voice:]
The simplest preparation of cupric chloride is to add copper sulfate solution to a calcium chloride solution while stirring, until no more cloudy ppt. forms, then filter or decant the greenish supernatant solution from the solid calcium sulfate, evaporating the water and dehydrating the very deliquesent green crystals of CuCl2 until brownish white.
CuSO4(aq) + CaCl2(aq) → CaSO4(s) + CuCl2(aq) |
[Anonymous Voice:]
Cupric chloride (CuCl2) was also prepared by reacting a solution of CuCO3 with a slight excess of HCl, evaporating water and finally, when product starts to turn brown, air dried at room temp to CuCl2·xH2O.
CuCl2 Prep from CuCO3 & CuO, v1.0
Written by Hellman
Intro:
This is a relativly easy synth, firstly you need either some CuCO3 or some CuO, both can usually be found metres from each other in your local pottery supply store. You will find one locally, unless you live in a 3rd world country, and I Sincerly sympathise with you, although if you are then you will find your way.
These store's house an amazement of luxurious inorganic Carbonates and oxides, ranging from the simplest metallic rusts to mind altering Lithium Carbonate, Good price 2.5 kg $70.00. Pickup a 100g or smaller of CaCO3 or CaO for around USD $3 and take it home, with a small botlle of HCl.
Procedure
These methods I describe are actual events based on non uniform measuring teqniques, showing you that it doesn't really matter that much.
In a ceramic Soup bowl I poured roughly 30g of this lime green CuCO3 into it. Then I simply just poured regular muriatic acid (30% HCl) into this soup bowl until all the frothing stops, About 70ml, Could of even been 100ml. After the yellowy rigourus bubbles died down, and further addition of acid did nothing,my job was basically done.
Then I placed this bowl on my BBQ on low heat and started my 1 hour evap. fun. Not very fun at all, I have no patience. Slowly but surely, it did, and once I got it to the dry sludge stage, I lowered the heat and placed it in an Unused oven, with the door open. Actually that's a lie, I left it overnight, which did fuck all, except reabsorb more moisture. It's true, this stuff, left in cold conditions, will go back into solution. Spiceboy states it goes brown when heated too much, he is right, but, it goes back to its green crystal colour once it's moisture seranades it (Absorbs into it again).
Moral of Story
Heat in oven on low until most of the moisture has gone, then bottle. It is feasable to roast the whole lot, on a stove top, to you get your brown anhydrous form, then bottle it with the lid open, until it resumes it slight lime green crystally appearance. It looks good, It's easy, It's done, I'm Happy
Copper(I)-bromide (CuBr, mp 492°C, bp 1345°C, Ksp [Cu+][Br-] = 4.2×10-8)
Prepared by digestion of copper powder in etheral HBr; at first the bromo acid complex [HCuBr2·2Et2O] is formed (as a yellow oil), which upon aqueous hydrolysis deposits the title compound as a colorless crystalline powder.
Preparation of Cuprous Cyanide5 (Note 1)
2 CuSO4(aq) + 4 NaCN(aq) → 2 CuCN(s) + (CN)2(g) |
In a 6-L round-bottomed flask fitted with a stopper carrying a mechanical stirrer, a separatory funnel, and a gas exit tube leading to a good hood (Note 2), is placed a solution of 650 g (2.6 moles) of crystallized copper sulfate in 4 L of water. The flask is surrounded by an oil bath and heated to about 80°C. The stirrer is started and a solution of 255 g (5.2 moles) of sodium cyanide (Note 3) in 650 mL of water is added from the separatory funnel over a period of about one-half hour. Then the mixture is boiled until no more cyanogen gas is evolved. This requires about five to ten minutes.
The cuprous cyanide, which begins to separate as a light tan precipitate as soon as any of the cyanide solution is added, is allowed to settle and the solution is decanted. The precipitate is filtered, then washed with water (1 L) and finally with alcohol (500 mL) and ether (300 mL). After drying at 110°C for about thirty-six hours, the product weighs 200–210 g (85–90% of the theoretical amount).