aluminium chloride
(US aluminum chloride) Chemistry
noun
A white solid which fumes in moist air and reacts violently with water, and is widely used as a catalyst, especially to promote alkylation or acylation by the Friedel-Crafts reaction.
- Formula: AlCl3; in liquid form, it exists as a dimer, Al2Cl6. Aluminium chloride is often contaminated with trace amounts of iron trichloride which can make it appear yellow..
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Chemical News.