Plutonium oxychloride

Plutonium oxychloride

Names
Other names Plutonium oxide chloride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
InChI InChI=1S/ClH.O.Pu/h1H;;/q;-2;+3/p-1 Key: CCCZQYUIKINKSJ-UHFFFAOYSA-M
SMILES [Cl-].[O-2].[Pu+3]
Properties
Chemical formula	ClOPu
Molar mass	295 g·mol−1
Appearance	green crystals
Density	8.81 g/cm3
Solubility in water	insoluble
Structure
Crystal structure	tetragonal
Space group	P4/nmm
Related compounds
Other anions	Plutonium oxyfluoride Plutonium oxybromide Plutonium oxyiodide
Other cations	Lanthanum oxychloride Neodymium oxychloride Americium(III) oxychloride Curium(III) oxychloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Plutonium oxychloride is an inorganic compound of plutonium, oxygen, and chlorine with the chemical formula PuOCl. ^[1]

Synthesis

It is produced in a reaction of plutonium(III) oxide with calcium chloride: ^[2]

Pu₂O₃ + CaCl₂ → 2PuOCl + CaO

It is also formed in trace quantities in the reaction between plutonium trichloride and calcium oxide, which mainly produces plutonium monoxide: ^[3]

PuCl₃ + CaO → PuOCl + CaCl₂

The compound is also synthesized by heating PuCl₃·6H₂O in a sealed tube, or by treating PuO₂ or PuCl₃ at 650 °C with a vapour mixture prepared via bubbling H₂ through aqueous HCl. ^[4]

Physical properties

Plutonium oxychloride appears as a green or blue-green crystals (space group P4/nmm ^[5] ) that are insoluble in water but dissolve in dilute acidic solutions. X-ray diffraction analysis of PuOCl reveals a tetragonal crystal structure, with two molecules present in each unit cell. ^[6]

Chemical properties

PuOCl reacts with calcium (dissolved in liquid calcium chloride) or high-temperature barium vapour to form plutonium monoxide. ^[3]

References

1. Axler, K. M.; Sheldon, R. I. (April 1992). "The effect of initial composition on PuOCl formation in the direct oxide reduction of PuO2". Journal of Nuclear Materials . 187 (2): 183–185. doi:10.1016/0022-3115(92)90551-U. ISSN   0022-3115 . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
2. Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Kojima, Hiranao (1993). Proceedings of the International Symposium on Molten Salt Chemistry and Technology 1993. Electrochemical Society. p. 205. ISBN   978-1-56677-028-6 . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
3. Reshetnikov, Fedor G. (1 January 2003). "Identification and preparation of plutonium monoxide". Mendeleev Communications. 13 (4): 155–156. doi:10.1070/MC2003v013n04ABEH001740. ISSN   0959-9436 . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
4. Abstracts of Declassified Documents. Technical Information Service. 1955. p. 45. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
5. Crystal Data: Inorganic compounds. National Bureau of Standards. 1972. p. 121. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
6. Davidson, Norman R.; Katz, Joseph J. (23 February 1960). "Method for the preparation of plutonium halides and oxyhalides". Google Patents. Retrieved 11 July 2025.