Phosphorus trifluorodichloride is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a toxic colorless gas with a disagreeable odor, and it turns into a liquid at âÂÂ8 ðC. The covalent molecule has trigonal bipyramidal molecular geometry. The central phosphorus atom has sp<sup>3</sup>d hybridization, and the molecule has an asymmetric charge distribution.
Phosphorus trifluorodichloride is formed by mixing phosphorus trifluoride with chlorine gas:
The P-F bond length is 154.6 pm for equatorial position and 159.3 pm for the axial position and the P-Cl bond length is 200.4 pm. The chlorine atoms are in equatorial positions in the molecule.