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Europium(II) chloride

Europium(II) chloride is an inorganic compound with a chemical formula EuCl<sub>2</sub>. When it is irradiated by ultraviolet light, it has bright blue fluorescence.

Preparation

Europium dichloride can be produced by reducing europium trichloride with hydrogen gas at high temperature:

2 EuCl<sub>3</sub> + H<sub>2</sub> → 2 EuCl<sub>2</sub> + 2 HCl

If dry europium trichloride reacts with lithium borohydride in THF, it can also produce europium dichloride:

2 EuCl<sub>3</sub> + 2 LiBH<sub>4</sub> → 2 EuCl<sub>2</sub> + 2 LiCl + H<sub>2</sub>↑ + B<sub>2</sub>H<sub>6</sub>↑

Properties

Europium dichloride can form yellow ammonia complexes:EuCl<sub>2</sub>•8NH<sub>3</sub>, and can dissolve to pale yellowish EuCl<sub>2</sub>•NH<sub>3</sub>. Europium dichloride can react with europium hydride at 120-bar H<sub>2</sub>, producing EuClH that fluoresces green.

References