I found this reaction online but I dont know if it will work
2 CHCl3 + 5 CuO = CuCl2 + 4 CuCl + 2 CO2 + H2O
or if there is another way to make CuCl2 from Chloroform or DCM
[Edited on 10-1-2017 by artchemix]JJay - 9-1-2017 at 17:10
This would not be my choice of method for making CuCl<sub>2</sub>. I am sure this reaction is actually possible at elevated temperatures,
but I think you'd get a different mix of products, including carbon monoxide and phosgene, and it would be hard to control.Zandins - 9-1-2017 at 22:35
Chloroform and DCM are very useful as solvents, and becoming increasingly harder to obtain, so I would advise you not to waste them to prepare
something as simple as cupric chloride.
If you already have CuO (given in your equation), reacting it with muritic acid(HCl) will produce your CuCl2.
If you don't have any copper compounds, you can try an oxidation with H2O2:
Cu + 2HCl + H2O2 --> CuCl2 + 2H2O
Or you could produce cupric hydroxide by electrolysis of an inert electrolyte with a copper anode:
C:2H2O +2e- --> H2 + 2OH-
A:Cu-2e- --> Cu2+
Copper hydroxide is insoluble, and can be filtered and reacted with HCl to yield CuCl2.
Hope any of this helps!MrHomeScientist - 10-1-2017 at 07:59
Just a semantic note: you aren't producing CuCl<sub>2</sub> from the solvent; they don't contain any copper. It comes from the
copper oxide.
But yes there are many simpler ways of making it. From an academic standpoint it's an interesting potential reaction, but would likely require special
conditions as JJay mentioned.
[Edited on 1-10-2017 by MrHomeScientist]woelen - 10-1-2017 at 08:13
This type of reactions sometimes is useful for making anhydrous, or near anhydrous metal chlorides. The use of CCl4 is preferred over the use of
CHCl3, because the latter still gives a little water.
An example is making anhydrous CrCl3, using CCl4 (with CHCl3 I expect formation of some basic chromium chloride as well). The big downside of this
type of reaction is that the chlorinated hydrocarbon usually is not converted all the way down to CO2, but partially, to COCl2. This makes these
reactions very dangerous in a home setting. You also need strong heating, it does not work at room temperature.xfusion44 - 10-1-2017 at 21:09
@artchemix
Just put some copper metal into the (conc.) hydrochloric acid and wait for a few days. Copper will slowly oxidize and the resulting copper oxide will
instantly react with HCl, to form CuCl2. You could probably use aquarium pump to speed up the oxidation. If you don't have enough time to wait (a few
days or even weeks), you can also speed up the reaction by adding hydrogen peroxide.
[Edited on 11-1-2017 by xfusion44]chornedsnorkack - 11-1-2017 at 00:26
Chloroform notoriously undergoes autooxidation to HCl and COCl2.
Is there any way to place chloroform in contact with metal compounds such that the metal compounds reach with HCl as it is formed by chloroform
autooxidation?
Are there any metal compounds that react with COCl2 dissolved in CHCl3, but do not react with CHCl3 itself?Dr.Bob - 12-1-2017 at 19:48
Copper metal (as small beads) is sometimes used as an HCl scavenger in alkyl halides sold commercially. Other compounds like K2CO3, silver, and
certain mole sieves are also sometimes added to keep halides acid free.AJKOER - 18-1-2017 at 19:29
"The anhydrous Cupric chloride, CuCl2, is produced by heating copper or cuprous chloride in chlorine, or by dehydrating the dihydrate by heating at
150° C. in an atmosphere of hydrogen chloride, or by addition of concentrated sulphuric acid to its aqueous solution. It is a brownish-yellow,
hygroscopic solid, melting at 498° C., of density 3.054. It is readily soluble in water and organic solvents. Its heat of formation from its
elements, calculated from the interaction of cupric oxide and hydrochloric acid, is given as 51.63 Cal. And 51.4 Cal. It is decomposed by heat into
the cuprous salt and chlorine."alking - 19-1-2017 at 11:54
Chloroform and DCM are very useful as solvents, and becoming increasingly harder to obtain, so I would advise you not to waste them to prepare
something as simple as cupric chloride.
Are they, and if so why? if you're in the states at least it's very easy to order tech grade DCM by the gallon. There's plenty of places to buy higher
grades of both as well. I don't know how things were ~10 years ago or are trending in the future, but I don't see anything happening to these useful
solvents, they have such a wide range of uses and are great as a general NP.
