I recently bought some Cadmium metal, which I'm going to use to make Cadmium (I) Tetrachloroaluminate, film the process and upload it to my Youtube
channel.
Here's the formula:
Cd2(AlCl4)2 was originally prepared by dissolving Cd metal in molten CdCl2 followed by the addition of AlCl3.
What would be a safe way to synthesize this chemical easily?
Cadmium chloride has a fairly high MP (564 C), you might want to lower that using a eutectic with another salt (google for ‘eutectic finder’).
You obviously need anhydrous AlCl3 for your proposed method and that is expensive and difficult to prepare for a hobbyist (hot, dry HCl (or Cl2) over
hot Al powder or shavings is one way). But anhydrous AlCl3 is a semi-covalent compound and has high volatility: to introduce it into the melt without
significant losses would be tricky…
Do you have any significant references on Cd2(AlCl4)2? Note that written like this, it indicates Cd as [+I]. Correct? CdAlCl4? Cd(AlCl4)2?
What do you want to undertake this obviously not-so-easy synthesis for? What’s your end-purpose?
Note also that cadmium compounds are highly toxic and that molten CdCl2 will show considerable volatility. READ UP on cadmium's dangers before
even contemplating carrying on.
