Plutonium tetrachloride

Plutonium tetrachloride
Names
	IUPAC name plutonium tetrachloride
Identifiers
CAS Number	161280-01-9 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
PubChem CID	21516867;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID90615460;
	InChI InChI=1S/4ClH.Pu/h4*1H;/p-4 Key: NNALTLJZLYPYIY-UHFFFAOYSA-J;
	SMILES [Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Pu];
Properties
Chemical formula	PuCl4
Appearance	solid
Structure
Crystal structure	tetragonal
Related compounds
Other anions	Plutonium tetrafluoride
Other cations	Neptunium tetrachloride; Uranium tetrachloride;
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Plutonium tetrachloride is an inorganic compound of plutonium and chlorine with the chemical formula PtCl₄.^[1]^[2]

Synthesis

Plutonium tetrachloride can be obtained through chlorination reactions. Phosgene (COCl₂) or carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) is usually used to chlorinate plutonium dioxide (PuO₂) at elevated temperatures. The reaction proceeds as follows:^[3]

PuO₂ + 2CCl₄ → PuCl₄ + 2CO₂ + 2Cl₂ (at 300–550°C)

Also, the compound is formed when plutonium trichloride is put in the stream of chlorine:^[4]

PuCl₃ + 1/₂Cl₂ → PuCl₄

Physical properties

The compound forms a hygroscopic solid under standard conditions. The PuCl₄ ionic structure consists of a plutonium cation surrounded by four chloride anions, forming a tetrahedral geometry.