Cerium Chloride Heptahydrate
Ceriumchloridehydrate
- CAS
- 18618-55-8
- EC
- 606-073-0
- Sectors
- Pharma & Healthcare, Oil, Gas & Energy, Home Care & Industrial Cleaning
Cerium Chloride Heptahydrate (CeCl₃·7H₂O; MW 372.58) is a light yellow crystalline solid or crystalline powder belonging to the rare earth chloride family. It dissolves readily in water, alcohol, and acetone, with slight solubility in tetrahydrofuran. Commercially available material is typically quoted at TREO ≥ 99 % on a total rare earth oxide basis, with the heptahydrate salt carrying a TREO content of approximately 45 %.
The compound functions primarily as a water-soluble cerium(III) source, making it the preferred starting material for Lewis acid-catalysed organic transformations and for the synthesis of downstream cerium salts and catalyst precursors. Anhydrous cerium chloride (CAS 7790-86-5) is a closely related form used where moisture-free conditions are required.
Cerium Chloride Heptahydrate
Applications
- Pharma & Healthcare: Deployed as a Lewis acid reagent in Luche reductions and Grignard-type additions, enabling selective carbonyl transformations in active pharmaceutical ingredient synthesis.
- Pharma & Healthcare: Acts as a soluble cerium(III) precursor for the preparation of cerium-based catalyst materials and other cerium salt intermediates used in research workflows.
- Oil, Gas & Energy: Used as a catalyst precursor in refining and petrochemical process development, where controlled introduction of cerium into catalyst formulations is required.
- Oil, Gas & Energy: Investigated in corrosion inhibition research for metal surfaces exposed to aqueous process streams, leveraging the passivating behaviour of cerium(III) ions.
- Home Care & Industrial Cleaning: Applied in water treatment research and development as a cerium ion source for inhibitor screening and scale-control studies.
Safety & Risks
Classified Warning under GHS. H315 (skin irritation), H319 (serious eye irritation), H335 (respiratory irritation). Use safety glasses, gloves, and an N95 respirator when handling dust. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area in tightly sealed containers.
Packaging
Typically supplied in 1–5 kg sealed bags for high-purity lots and 25 kg fibre drums for technical-grade quantities. Store away from moisture.