Americium(III) chloride

Americium(III) chloride or americium trichloride is the chemical compound composed of americium and chlorine with the formula AmCl₃. It forms pink hexagonal crystals. In the solid state each americium atom has nine chlorine atoms as near neighbours, at approximately the same distance, in a tricapped trigonal prismatic configuration.[3][4]

Americium(III) chloride

Names
IUPAC name Americium(III) chloride
Systematic IUPAC name Americium(3+) chloride
Other names Americium chloride Americium trichloride
Identifiers
CAS Number	13464-46-5
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	15964177
PubChem CID	17815325
InChI InChI=1S/Am.3ClH/h;3*1H/q+3;;;/p-3 Key: GQKWPBIZTINWCF-UHFFFAOYSA-K
SMILES [Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Am+3]
Properties
Chemical formula	AmCl3
Molar mass	349 g·mol^−1
Appearance	Light red, opaque crystals
Density	5.87 g cm^−3[1]
Melting point	715 °C (1,319 °F; 988 K)[2]
Boiling point	850 °C (1,560 °F; 1,120 K)[1]
Structure
Crystal structure	hexagonal (UCl3 type), hP8
Space group	P63/m, No. 176
Coordination geometry	Tricapped trigonal prismatic (nine-coordinate)
Related compounds
Other cations	Europium(III) chloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

The hexahydrate has a monocline crystal structure with: a = 970,2 pm, b = 656,7 pm and c = 800,9 pm; β = 93° 37'; space group: P2/n.[5]

Reactions

An americium(III) chloride electrorefining method has been investigated to separate mixtures of actinides, since the standard Gibbs free energy of formation of americium(III) chloride is much different than the rest of the actinide chlorides.[6] This can be used to remove americium from plutonium by melting the crude mixture together with salts such as sodium chloride.[7]

References

1. "Chemistry: Periodic Table: americium: compound data (americium (III) chloride)". WebElements. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
2. Perry, Dale L.; Phillips, Sidney L. (1995), Handbook of Inorganic Compounds, CRC Press, p. 15, ISBN 0-8493-8671-3, retrieved 2008-06-25
3. L. B. Asprey, T. K. Keenan, F. H. Kruse: "Crystal Structures of the Trifluorides, Trichlorides, Tribromides, and Triiodides of Americium and Curium", Inorg. Chem. 1965, 4 (7), 985–986; doi:10.1021/ic50029a013.
4. A. F. Wells: Structural Inorganic Chemistry 5th edition (1984) Oxford Science Publications, ISBN 0-19-855370-6.
5. John H. Burns, Joseph Richard Peterson: "The Crystal Structures of Americium Trichloride Hexahydrate and Berkelium Trichloride Hexahydrate", Inorg. Chem. 1971, 10 (1), 147–151; doi:10.1021/ic50095a029.
6. Nuclear Energy Agency (2001), Proceedings of the Workshop on Pyrochemical Separations, Avignon, France: OECD Publishing, pp. 276–277, ISBN 92-64-18443-0, retrieved 2008-06-24
7. Plutonium Processing In The Nuclear Weapons Complex, Diane Publishing, 1992, p. 21, ISBN 1-56806-568-X, retrieved 2008-06-24