Sciencemadness Discussion Board

copper (II) chloride

hello402 - 10-5-2007 at 21:41

can copper (II) chloride solution oxidize a piece of bright copper wire?

woelen - 10-5-2007 at 22:44

Yes, it can, but only at high concentration of chloride ions.

At high concentration of chloride ions, you obtain the complex CuCl4(2-). This reacts with copper metal as follows:

Cu + CuCl4(2-) ---> 2CuCl2(-)

The CuCl2(-) ion is a colorless ion. The solutions, however, become very dark, due to a secondary reaction between the copper(I) and copper(II) species in solution, giving some dark mixed oxidation state complex.

12AX7 - 11-5-2007 at 14:13

In response to elements of your OTHER thread, yes. The balanced reaction is CuCl2 + Cu = Cu2Cl2 (cuprous chloride, insoluble and white). At first, most of this is able to dissolve (darkening the solution as Woelen says), but eventually it saturates and Cu2Cl2 precipitates on the metal.

Tim

209 - 7-6-2007 at 11:32

The reaction is very slow. The trick is to speed it up. Use some H202 and add enough HCl to cover the copper chips and leave it overnight. Use some tweezers, pull out any remaining copper chips and simmer off the now dark greeny/black liquid. let the brown powder sit and it will gain moisture from the air on its own.