Characteristic
Platinum(II) chloride is the chemical compound PtCl2. It is an important precursor used in the preparation of other platinum compounds. It exists in two crystalline forms, but the main properties are somewhat similar: dark brown, insoluble in water, diamagnetic, and odorless.
Chemical formula:PtCl2
Molar mass: 265.99 g/mol
Appearance: olive green crystals
Density: 6.05 g/cm3, solid
Melting point: 581 °C (1,078 °F; 854 K)
Boiling point: decomposes
Solubility in water:insoluble
Solubility: insoluble in alcohol, ether
soluble in HCl, ammonia
Magnetic susceptibility (χ):−54.0·10−6 cm3/mol
Crystal structure:hexagonal
Application
Most reactions of PtCl2 proceed via treatment with ligands (L) to give molecular derivatives.
Sometimes, such reactions can be deceptive. Addition of ammonia gives initially "PtCl2(NH3)2", but this material is in fact Magnus's green salt, [PtCl4][Pt(NH3)4].