4410. Germanium Tetrachloride

Nomenclature

CAS number: 10038-98-9
Tetrachlorogermane; germanium(IV) chloride.
Cl4Ge; mol wt 214.45.
Cl 66.13%, Ge 33.87%.
GeCl4.

Description and references

Prepd from Ge and Cl2 or GeO2 and HCl: Bauer, Burschkies, Ber. 66, 277 (1933); Foster et al., Inorg. Synth. 2, 109 (1946).

Properties

Mobile liq. Fumes in air. Peculiar, acidic odor, but can be distinguished from that of concd HCl. Appreciably volatile at room temp. d2020 1.879. bp760 83.1°. mp 49.5°. Hydrolyzed by water with a crackling noise. Is stable, but not very sol in 6N HCl. If more concd HCl is used, the soly of GeCl4 is reduced. Sol in benzene, ether, other organic solvents.

Caution

Fumes irritating to eyes, mucous membranes of respiratory tract.