Phosphorus Trichloride - PCl₃

What is Phosphorus Trichloride?

Phosphorus trichloride is a fuming liquid with the formula PCl₃.Phosphorus trichloride is a colourless transparent motile liquid. It is the most important phosphorus halide.

Phosphorus trichloride (PCl₃) is manufactured by burning molten white phosphorus in dry chlorine. An explosion occurs when phosphorus trichloride is brought in contact with nitric or nitrous acid. A phosphorus trichloride produces acute systemic effects by absorption through the skin into the bloodstream.

Other names – Trichlorophosphine, Phosphorus trichloride, Phosphorus chloride

Table of Contents

• Phosphorus Trichloride Structure – PCl₃
• Physical Properties of Phosphorus Trichloride – PCl₃
• Chemical Properties of Phosphorus Trichloride – PCl₃
• Uses of Phosphorus Trichloride – PCl₃

Phosphorus Trichloride Structure – PCl₃

Physical Properties of Phosphorus Trichloride – PCl₃

Chemical Properties of Phosphorus Trichloride – PCl₃

• Phosphorus trichloride on further chlorination forms Phosphorus pentachloride. The chemical reaction is given below.

PCl₃ + Cl₂ → PCl₅

• Phosphorus trichloride dissolves in water and forms phosphoric acid and hydrogen chloride. The chemical reaction is given below.

PCl₃ + 3H₂O → H₃PO₃ + 3HCl

Uses of Phosphorus Trichloride – PCl₃

• The Largest use for phosphorus trichloride is for making phosphorus oxychloride by oxidising it with oxygen.
• Used as an important intermediate in the production of phosphate ester insecticides.
• Used as a chlorinating agent for converting alkyl alcohols to alkyl chlorides and organic acids to organic acid chlorides and also as a catalyst.
• Used in the production of important compounds like phosphorous pentachloride, phosphoryl chloride, thiophosphoryl chloride, pseudohalogens and phosphonic acids.