Europium(III) chloride

Europium(III) chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula EuCl3. The anhydrous compound is a yellow solid. Being hygroscopic it rapidly absorbs water to form a white crystalline hexahydrate, EuCl3·6H2O, which is colourless. The compound is used in research. Europium(III) chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula EuCl3. The anhydrous compound is a yellow solid. Being hygroscopic it rapidly absorbs water to form a white crystalline hexahydrate, EuCl3·6H2O, which is colourless. The compound is used in research. Treating Eu2O3 with aqueous HCl produces hydrated europium chloride (EuCl3·6H2O). This salt cannot be rendered anhydrous by heating. Instead one obtains an oxychloride.Anhydrous EuCl3 is often prepared by the 'ammonium chloride route,' starting from either Eu2O3 or hydrated europium chloride (EuCl3·6H2O) by heating carefully to 230 °C. These methods produce (NH4)2: