Aluminium iodide
Other names	Aluminium(III) iodide Aluminium triiodide Aluminum iodide Aluminum triiodide
Identifiers
CAS number	7784-23-8, 10090-53-6 (hexahydrate)
PubChem	82222
Properties
Molecular formula	AlI3
Molar mass	407.69495 g/mol (anhydrous) 515.786 g/mol (hexahydrate)
Appearance	colorless powder but impure samples are often brown
Density	3.98 g/cm3 (anhydrous) 2.63 g/cm3 (hexahydrate)
Melting point	189.4 °C (anhydrous) 185 °C, decomp. (hexahydrate)
Boiling point	360 °C, sublimes
Solubility in water	reacts violently (anhydrous) soluble (hexahydrate)
Solubility in alcohol, ether	soluble (hexahydrate)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Aluminium iodide is any chemical compound containing only aluminium and iodine. Invariably, the name refers to a compound of the composition AlI₃, formed by the reaction of aluminium and iodine^[1] or the action of HI on Al metal. The hexahydrate is obtained from a reaction between metal aluminum or aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen iodide. As for the related chloride and bromide, AlI₃ is a strong Lewis acid and should be protected from the atmosphere.

Contents 1 Applications in organic synthesis 2 Aluminium(I) iodide 3 Safety 4 References

[edit] Applications in organic synthesis

Aluminium iodide is employed as a catalyst to break certain kinds of C-O and N-O bonds. It cleaves aryl ethers and deoxygenates epoxides.^[2]

[edit] Aluminium(I) iodide

The name "aluminium iodide" is widely assumed to describe the triiodide or its dimer. In fact, a monoiodide also enjoys a role in the Al-I system, although composition AlI is unstable at room temperature with respect to the triiodide^[3]

6 AlI → Al₂I₆ + 4 Al

An illustrative derivative of aluminium monoiodide is the cyclic adduct formed with triethylamine, AI₄I₄(NEt₃)₄.

[edit] Safety

Hydrolysis of aluminium triiodide will release some HI, which is corrosive. Lewis acids are skin irritants.

[edit] References

1. ^ G. W. Watt, J. L. Hall (1953). Inorganic Syntheses. IV. pp. 117–119. 
2. ^ M. Gugelchuk (2004). Aluminum Iodide, in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (Ed: L. Paquette). New York: J. Wiley & Sons. doi:10.1002/047084289. 
3. ^ Dohmeier, C.; Loos, D.; Schnöckel, H. (1996). "Aluminum(I) and Gallium(I) Compounds: Syntheses, Structures, and Reactions". Angewandte Chemie International Edition 35: 129–149. doi:10.1002/anie.199601291. 

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