Raman spectra of molten SbCl3/AlCl3mixtures

Abstract

AbstractRaman spectra were obtained for nine molten mixtures of SbCl3and AlCl3, as well as for the pure components. Also three molten mixtures of AlCl3/NaCl/SbCl3were studied. Molten AlCl3contains molecular Al2Cl6(D2h) while molten SbCl3contains pyramidal (C3v) molecules aligned head to tail. The Raman spectra showed the presence of Al2Cl6molecules in molten SbCl3/AlCl3mixtures containing 40 mol% or more AlCl3but gave no evidence for the formation of SbCl2+and AlCl4−. However, SbCl3is structurally modified by the addition of AlCl3as seen from the shift of the highest SbCl stretching frequency. There is also spectral evidence that points to the formation of polymers that are different from those in pure SbCl3, and it cannot be ruled out that there may be a chloride‐deficient antimony species in the AlCl3‐rich mixtures. The molecular nature of the observed modifications in these mixtures cannot be deduced solely on the basis of the recorded spectra.