Iron(II) perchlorate


Iron perchlorate is the inorganic compound with the formula. A green, water-soluble solid, it is produced by the reaction of iron metal with dilute perchloric acid followed by evaporation of the solution:
Although the ferrous cation is a reductant and the perchlorate anion is a strong oxidant, in the absence of atmospheric oxygen, dissolved ferrous perchlorate is stable in aqueous solution because the electron transfer between both species is hindered by severe kinetic limitations. Being a weak Lewis base, the perchlorate anion is a poor ligand for the aqueous and does not contribute to the electron transfer by favoring the formation of an inner sphere complex giving rise to a possible reorganisation of the activated complex. The resulting high activation energy prohibits a thermodynamically spontaneous redox reaction.
However, in aqueous solution, and under air, iron perchlorate slowly oxidizes to iron oxyhydroxide.
The hexahydrate consists of discrete hexa-aquo-iron divalent cations and perchlorate anions. It crystallizes with an orthorhombic structure. It has minor phase transitions at 245 and 336 K.

Uses

In organic chemistry, iron perchlorate can be used as a source of ferrous ions for the Fenton oxidation.