Treating Eu2O3 with aqueous HCl produces hydrated europium chloride (EuCl3·6H2O). This salt cannot be rendered anhydrous by heating. Instead one obtains an oxychloride. Anhydrous EuCl3 is often prepared by the "ammonium chloride route," starting from either Eu2O3 or hydrated europium chloride (EuCl3·6H2O) by heating carefully to 230 °C. These methods produce (NH4)2[EuCl5]:
10 NH4Cl + Eu2O3 → 2 (NH4)2[EuCl5] + 6 NH3 + 3 H2O
EuCl3·6H2O + 2 NH4Cl → (NH4)2[EuCl5] + 6 H2O
The pentachloride decomposes thermally according to the following equation:
(NH4)2[EuCl5] → 2 NH4Cl + EuCl3
The thermolysis reaction proceeds via the intermediary of (NH4)[Eu2Cl7].
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