15238-00-3

Brownish red crystalline powder

Exists in two isomorphous forms, α- and ?-forms; both modifications highly hygroscopic. The α-form is black hexagonal crystal; density 5.58 g/cm³; turns dark green in air; melts at 560°C; disolves in water giving pink coloration. The α-forms sublimes in vacuo, partly forming an isomorous yellow modification-the anhydrous β-form.
The β-modification is a yellow powder; density 5.45 g/cm³; converts to the α-form when heated to 400°C; absorbs moisture from air, the yellow powder becoming green droplets; dissolves readily in water forming a colorless solution which turns pink on heating.
The hexahydrate is red hexagonal crystals; density 2.90 g/cm³; loses water at 130°C giving anhydrous iodide; soluble in water, ethanol, acetone, chloroform and ether, forming colored solutions, (while the aqueous solution is red below 20°C and green above this temperature; the salt forms blue solution in ethanol, chloroform and ether).

Cobalt(II) iodide is prepared by heating cobalt powder in a stream of hydrogen iodide at 400 to 450°C:
Co + 2HI → CoI₂ + H₂
The product obtained is the black crystalline α-form.
Cobalt(II) iodide also may be made by heating cobalt powder with iodine vapor.