Title: Aluminum Chloride
CAS Registry Number: 7446-70-0
Molecular Formula: AlCl3
Molecular Weight: 133.34.
Percent Composition: Al 20.24%, Cl 79.77%
Literature References: Prepd from aluminum metal in a heated stream of HCl gas: Gattermann-Wieland, Praxis des Organischen Chemikers (de Gruyter, Berlin, 40th ed., 1961) p 295; H. J. Becher in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry, vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1963) p 812. Manufacture: Faith, Keyes & Clark's Industrial Chemicals, F. A. Lowenheim, M. K. Moran, Eds. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 4th ed., 1975) pp 72-75. Monograph: C. A. Thomas, Anhydrous Aluminum Chloride in Organic Chemistry, A.C.S. Monograph Series no. 87 (Reinhold, New York, 1941).
Properties: White when pure; ordinarily gray or yellow to greenish. Fumes in air; strong odor of HCl; when heated in small quantities volatilizes without melting. Combines with water with explosive violence and liberation of much heat. Freely sol in many organic solvents, such as benzophenone, benzene nitrobenzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform. Keep tightly closed and protected from moisture. For physical properties see C. A. Thomas, loc. cit.
Derivative Type: Hexahydrate
CAS Registry Number: 7784-13-6
Trademarks: Anhydrol (Dermal); Driclor (Stiefel); Drysol (Person & Covey); Xerac (Person & Covey)
Properties: Colorless crystals, or white or slightly yellow deliquesc, cryst powder; odorless or slight HCl odor. One gram dissolves in 0.9 ml water, 4 ml alc; sol in ether, glycerol, propylene glycol. Keep well closed.
Analysis . Basic aluminum chlorides are so stable that the aluminum content can be determined only after decomposition of the complex ion [75], The usual procedure is to mix the solution containing aluminum with 60 % sulfuric acid and 0.1 M disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, followed by ca. 20 % sodium hydroxide. The pH is adjusted to 4.7 – 4.9 at 60 – 70 °C. After the solution is cooled to about 25 °C and buffer solution (acetic acid, ammonium acetate), acetone, and indicator (dithizone in ethanol) are added, the solution is back-titrated with 0.1 M zinc sulfate. One milliliter of 0.1 M disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate is equivalent to 2.698 mg of aluminum.
[75] E. Wänninen, A. Ringbom, Anal. Chim. Acta 12 (1955) 308.