Rhenium Trichloride

Rhenium trichloride powder is a dark red, crystalline, hygroscopic, insoluble in common solvents, can be vacuum sublimation at 500 ℃ and is often used in the synthesis of other rhenium compounds important inorganic materials.

Properties

Chemical composition and molecular formula:
The chemical formula is ReCl₃, which means that each molecule consists of one rhenium atom and three chlorine atoms.

Molecular weight: about 292.57 g/mol.

Appears as a dark red powdery solid with a distinctive colour

Density: about 4.8 g/cm³, relatively high density.

Boiling point: about 500°C (decomposition)

Solubility: easily hydrolysed, hydrolysis will form hydrated rhenium oxide (Re₂O₃・xH₂O); insoluble in common solvents, but soluble in water, acid, alkali, liquid ammonia and ethanol, etc., slightly soluble in ether.

Crystal structure: rhombohedral crystal structure (rhombohedral, HR72)

Chemical properties: not oxidised by potassium permanganate or chlorine at room temperature, chemically stable. It is reduced to rhenium metal by hydrogen under the condition of 250~300℃; it will generate rhenium tetrachloride monoxide and rhenium trichloride when heated in oxygen.

Vapour properties: 500 ℃ vacuum sublimation, the vapour is green.

Application

Chemical synthesis field:

Preparation of rhenium inorganic and organic compounds: it is an important raw material for the preparation of other rhenium compounds. For example, through further chemical reactions, rhenium-containing compounds such as complexes, salts and many other compounds can be synthesised, and these compounds have potential applications in the fields of catalysis and materials science.

Synthesis of fully alkylated benzene-metal complexes: In organometallic chemistry, rhenium trichloride can be used to synthesise fully alkylated benzene-metal complexes with specific structures and properties, which may have unique roles in organic synthesis, catalysis and other areas.

Medical research field:

Drug development: it has some application prospects in drug development. Studies have shown that rhenium trichloride and its related compounds exhibit potential in the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. The mechanism of action may involve the inhibition of various enzymes and signalling pathways, but the exact mechanism is not fully understood and further research is still needed. However, clinical trials have shown that rhenium trichloride-based drugs are characterised by low toxicity and high efficacy.

Materials Science Field:

Catalyst preparation: it can be used as a catalyst or catalyst precursor for some chemical reactions such as hydrogenation and dehydrogenation. Its unique electronic structure and chemical properties enable it to play a special role in catalytic reactions, improving the efficiency and selectivity of the reaction.

Optical materials: Due to its special electronic structure and optical properties, it has the potential to be applied in the field of optical materials, such as for the preparation of materials with specific optical properties, such as luminescent materials, nonlinear optical materials, etc., but the research in this area is still in the exploratory stage.

In the field of analytical chemistry: in analytical chemistry, it can be used as a reagent for the analysis and detection of certain substances. For example, it can be used to perform qualitative or quantitative analyses of specific elements or compounds by making use of its reaction properties with certain substances.