Zirconyl chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula of [Zr<sub>4</sub>(OH)<sub>8</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>16</sub>]Cl<sub>8</sub>÷12H<sub>2</sub>O, more commonly written ZrOCl<sub>2</sub>÷8H<sub>2</sub>O, and referred to as zirconyl chloride octahydrate. It is a white solid and is the most common water-soluble derivative of zirconium. The salt is produced by hydrolysis of zirconium tetrachloride or treating zirconium oxide with hydrochloric acid. A compound with the formula ZrOCl<sub>2</sub> has not been characterized.
It adopts a tetrameric structure, consisting of the cation [Zr<sub>4</sub>(OH)<sub>8</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>16</sub>]<sup>8+</sup>. features four pairs of hydroxide bridging ligands linking four Zr<sup>4+</sup> centers. The chloride anions are not ligands, consistent with the high oxophilicity of Zr(IV). The salt crystallizes as tetragonal crystals.