Lead II Chloride Formula

What is Lead II Chloride?

This article deals with the lead II chloride formula. Lead II chloride refers to an inorganic compound that has the appearance of a white solid under ambient conditions. This compound has poor solubility in water. Lead II chloride is a very significant lead-based reagent. Naturally, it occurs in the form of the mineral cotunnite.

Lead II chloride happens to be the main precursor for various organometallic derivatives of lead like plumbocenes. When lead II chloride reacts with molten sodium nitrite, it results in the generation of lead II oxide.

Derivation of Lead II Chloride Formula

The molecular formula of lead II chloride happens to be \(PbCl_{2}\). The lead will give two valence electrons from the outer most shell for the purpose of combination. Furthermore, chlorine can accept only 1 valence electron because there is only one space to complete its shell. Moreover, chlorine has more reason to combine in two molecules with lead so as to accomplish the octet rule.

Properties of Lead II Chloride

Lead II chloride has the appearance of a white solid. It appears in the form of white crystalline powder or white orthorhombic needles. The boiling point of this inorganic compound is at a temperature of 950 °C. Furthermore, the melting point of lead II chloride is 501 °C.

Lead II chloride is slightly soluble in ammonia and dilute HCI. Moreover, this compound is insoluble in alcohol. Also, lead II chloride is soluble in ninety-three parts of cold water and thirty parts of boiling water.  The compound also happens to be readily soluble in ammonium nitrate, ammonium chloride, and alkali hydroxide.

It is slowly soluble in glycerol. In water, the solubility of lead II chloride is 0.673 g/100 mL water at 0 °C and 0.99 g/100 mL water at 20 °C.

The density of lead II chloride is 5.85 g/cu cm.  Furthermore, the vapor density of this compound happens to be 9.59. On applying heat to the point of decomposition, lead II chloride emits extremely toxic fumes of hydrogen chloride and lead. Moreover, the refractive index of this compound is 2.199, 2.217, and 2.260.

The occurrence of Lead II Chloride

Lead II chloride has a natural occurrence in the form of mineral cotunnite. It happens to be colorless, white, yellow, or green. Furthermore, the hardness on the Mohs scale reads 1.5–2. Moreover, orthorhombic dipyramidal is the crystal structure and the point group is 2/m 2/m 2/m. Each Pb happens to have a coordination number of 9. The occurrence of otunnite is near volcanoes like  Tolbachik, Russia; Vesuvius, Italy; and Tarapacá, Chile.

Uses of Lead II Chloride

Experts use lead II chloride in the production of infrared transmitting glass. Furthermore, experts also use this compound in aurene glass, an ornamental glass. Aurene glass has an iridescent surface whose formation takes place by spraying with lead II chloride and reheating under controlled conditions.

Lead II chloride happens to be an intermediate in refining bismuth (Bi) ore. The treatment of the ore containing Bi, Pb, and Zn first takes place with molten caustic soda to remove traces of acidic elements. Afterward, the Parkes desilverization process is made use of to remove the presence of any silver and gold.

The ore now has Bi, Pb, and Zn. Experts treat it with \(Cl_{2}\) gas at a temperature of 500 °C. \(ZnCl_{2}\) forms first and then its removal takes place. Then \(PbCl_{2}\) forms and is removed to result in pure Bi.  \(BiCl_{3}\) would ultimately form last.

Solved Question For You

Question- What is lead II chloride and its formula?

Answer- Lead II chloride refers to an inorganic compound that is a very significant lead-based reagent. Furthermore, the molecular formula of lead II chloride happens to be \(PbCl_{2}\).