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Cerium(III) chloride (CeCl3), also known as cerous chloride or cerium trichloride, is a compound of cerium and chlorine. It is a white hygroscopic solid; It rapidly absorbs water on exposure to moist air to form a hydrate which appears to be of variable composition2, though the heptahydrate CeCl3.7 H2O is known. It is highly soluble in water, and (when anhydrous) it is soluble in ethanol and acetone4.
Preparation of anhydrous CeCl Simple rapid heating of the hydrate alone may cause small amounts of hydrolysis 1. A useful form of anhydrous CeCl3 can be prepared if care is taken to heat the heptahydrate gradually to 140 °C over many hours under vacuum4,5,9. This may or may not contain a little CeOCl from hydrolysis), but it is suitable for use with organolithium and Grignard reagents. Pure anhydrous CeCl3 can be made by dehydration of the hydrate either by slowly heating to 400 °C with 4-6 equivalents of ammonium chloride under high vacuum1,6,12, or by heating with an excess of thionyl chloride for three hours1,7. The anhydrous halide may alternatively be prepared from cerium metal and hydrogen chloride 8. It is usually purified by high temperature sublimation under high vacuum. Uses
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