PCl3

Phosphorus trichloride · Phosphorus(III) chloride

Phosphorus trichloride is a stable, insulating chemical compound widely used as a key precursor in the production of pesticides, flame retardants, and various organophosphorus industrial chemicals.

ClP
Crystal structure of PCl3
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Phosphorus trichloride

Phosphorus trichloride is a thermodynamically stable compound that serves as a fundamental building block in inorganic chemistry. Its insulating electronic character and well-defined structural profile make it a reliable reagent for various chemical transformations. The compound is highly valued for its reactivity in forming phosphorus-carbon and phosphorus-oxygen bonds, which are critical for the production of diverse chemical derivatives. Its stability on the convex hull ensures it remains a consistent and predictable starting material in industrial synthesis pipelines.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Phosphorus trichloride, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

4.05 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

17
3 databases, 8 space groups
Uses

Applications

Where Phosphorus trichloride is used.

Synthesis of organophosphorus compoundsProduction of flame retardantsManufacturing of pesticidesIntermediate in herbicide productionSynthesis of phosphorus-based surfactants
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Phosphorus trichloride, answered from cross-validated data.

What is PCl3?

Phosphorus trichloride is a stable, insulating chemical compound widely used as a key precursor in the production of pesticides, flame retardants, and various organophosphorus industrial chemicals.

More questions
What is PCl3 used for?
Phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) is used in synthesis of organophosphorus compounds, production of flame retardants, manufacturing of pesticides, intermediate in herbicide production, and synthesis of phosphorus-based surfactants.
What is the band gap of PCl3?
Phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) has a DFT-computed band gap of 4.05 eV across 17 reported structures.
Is PCl3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 4.05 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is PCl3 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of PCl3 are known?
17 structures of PCl3 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 8 distinct space groups.
What elements does PCl3 contain?
Phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) contains Cl and P (2 elements).
Where does the data for PCl3 come from?
PCl3 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a primary phosphorus halide, this compound stands as a cornerstone of its chemical class, providing a versatile platform for synthetic chemistry that is widely recognized for its reliability and consistent structural behavior across multiple experimental datasets.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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