First aid
Move victim to fresh air. Call 911 or emergency medical service. Give artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. Do not use mouth-to-mouth method if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; give artificial respiration with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. In case of contact with substance, immediately flush skin or eyes with running water for at least 20 minutes. For minor skin contact, avoid spreading material on unaffected skin. Keep victim warm and quiet. Effects of exposure (inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact) to substance may be delayed. Ensure that medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved and take precautions to protect themselves. Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours after breathing overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be delayed. As first aid for pulmonary edema, a doctor or authorized paramedic may consider administering a drug or other inhalation therapy.
Shipping
UN2802 Copper chloride, Hazard class: 8; Labels: 8-Corrosive material.
Incompatibilities
Contact with strong acids forms monovalent copper salts and toxic hydrogen chloride gas. Forms shock-sensitive and explosive compounds with potassium, sodium, sodium hypobromite, nitromethane, acetylene. Keep away from moisture and alkali metals. Attacks metals in the presence of moisture. Reacts with moist air to form cupric chloride dihydrate. May attack some metals, paints, and coatings. May be able to ignite combustible materials.
Chemical Properties
Copper chloride is a brownish-yellow powder.
Chemical Properties
white or pale grey powder
Physical properties
White cubic crystal which turns blue when heated at 178°C; density 4.14 g/cm3; the mineral nantokite (CuCl) has density 4.14 g/cm3, hardness 2.5 (Mohs), refractive index 1.930; melts at 430°C becoming a deep, green liquid; vaporizes around 1,400°C; vapor pressure 5 torr at 645°C and 400 torr at 1,250°C; low solubility in water (decomposes partially); Ksp 1.72x10-7; insoluble in ethanol and acetone; soluble in concentrated HCl and ammonium hydroxide.
Definition
ChEBI: An inorganic chloride of copper in which the metal is in the +1 oxidation state.
Preparation
Copper(I) chloride is prepared by reduction of copper(II) chloride in solution: 2CuCl2 + H2 2CuCl + 2HCl Alternatively, it can be prepared by boiling an acidic solution of copper(II) chloride with copper metal, which on dilution yields white CuCl: Cu + CuCl2 2CuCl Copper(I) chloride dissolved in concentrated HCl absorbs carbon monoxide under pressure forming an adduct, CuCl(CO). The complex decomposes on heating releasing CO. Copper(I) chloride is slightly soluble in water. However, in the presence of Cl- ion, it forms soluble complexes of discrete halogeno anions such as, CuCl2-, CuCl3 2-, and CuCl4 3-. Formation of complexes and organocopper derivatives as outlined below are not confined only to copper(I) chloride, but typify Cu+ in general. Reaction with ethylenediamine (en) in aqueous potassium chloride solution forms Cu(II)-ethylenediamine complex, while Cu+ ion is reduced to its metallic state: 2CuCl + 2en → [Cuen2]2+ + 2Cl- + Cu° It dissolves in acetonitrile, CH3CN forming tetrahedral complex ion [Cu(CH3CN)4]+ which can be precipitated with large anions such as ClO4 - or PF6- . Reactions with alkoxides of alkali metals produce yellow copper(I) alkoxides. For example, reaction with sodium ethoxide yield copper(I) ethoxide, a yellow compound that can be sublimed from the product mixture: CuCl + NaOC2H5 → CuOC2H5 + NaCl Copper(I) chloride forms complexes with ethylene and other alkenes in solutions that may have compositions such as [Cu(C2H4)(H2O)2]+ or [Cu(C2H4)(bipy)]+. (bipy = bipyridyl) Reactions with lithium or Grignard reagent yield alkyl or aryl copper(I) derivatives, respectively. Such organocopper compounds containing Cu-Cu bonds are formed only by Cu+ and not Cu2+ ions.
Production Methods
Cuprous chloride crystal is grown by direct deposition on the substrate from vapor (vapor phase
growth). Small, zinc-blende crystals without deformation can be obtained from solution.
Large single crystals are grown by the Czochralski method. The first grown crystal takes a
wurtzite structure, which changes to a zinc-blende structure below 407℃. It is inevitable to keep a
constant strain.
Cuprous chloride is soluble in water and ethyl alcohol is used for cutting and polishing.
General Description
The structure of copper(I) chloride is similar to zinc-blende crystal at room temperature; the structure is wurtzite at 407 °C and at higher temperatures it forms copper(I) chloride vapor as per mass spectroscopy.
Hazard
Copper(I) chloride is moderately toxic by ingestion and possibly other routes of entry into the body. The oral LD50 in mouse is reported to be 347 mg/kg; and subcutaneous LD50 in guinea pigs is 100 mg/kg.
Purification Methods
Wash the solid with ethanol and diethyl ether, then dry it and store it in a vacuum desiccator [.sterl.f Acta Chem Scand 4 375 1950]. Alternatively, to an aqueous solution of CuCl2.2H2O is added, with stirring, an aqueous solution of anhydrous sodium sulfite. The colourless product is dried at 80o for 30minutes and stored under N2. Cu2Cl2 can be purified by zone-refining [Hall et al. J Chem Soc, Faraday Trans 1 79 343 1983]. [Glemser & Sauer in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol II p 1005 1965.]
