Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Phosphorus pentachloride from phosphides

garphield - 5-11-2022 at 13:18

Since being able to make acyl chlorides, alkyl chlorides, acid anhydrides, ect is very useful, reagents like thionyl chloride and phosphorus pentachloride are very useful. However, they are quite hard to get, especially as phosphorus cannot be easily bought in the USA. I was wondering it it might be possible to make ie. calcium phosphide via the aluminothermic reduction of calcium phosphate, then react it with chlorine gas to produce calcium chloride and phosphorus pentachloride. However, I am somewhat worried about the phosphide reacting with atmospheric moisture to form phosphine, or it making smoke during the aluminothermic reduction which contains dangerous amounts of phosphide. Should I try to do this or is it too dangerous?

Lionel Spanner - 7-11-2022 at 15:31

You could use cyanuric chloride instead, which is much less hazardous than either of those reagents.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00404...

Boffis - 8-11-2022 at 14:58

Where can you get cyanuric chloride?