Phosphorus trichloride

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Phosphorus(III) chloride)
Phosphorus trichloride structure
The bottle on the right has phosphorus trichloride in it.

Phosphorus trichloride is a chemical compound. It is a molecular compound made up of phosphorus covalently bonded to three chlorine atoms. The phosphorus is considered to be in a 3+ oxidation state and each chlorine is considered to be in a 1- oxidation state. The chemical formula is PCl3.

Properties[change | change source]

It is a colorless liquid. It reacts with water to make phosphorous acid and hydrochloric acid. It is very toxic. It is a weak reducing agent.

Preparation[change | change source]

It is made by reacting extra phosphorus with chlorine. It is used to make phosphorous acid industrially (in factories).

Uses[change | change source]

It is used to make organic compounds. It is also used to make other phosphorus compounds.

Related pages[change | change source]