Aluminium monochloride

Aluminium monochloride
Names
	IUPAC name Chloridoaluminium
	Other names Aluminium(I) chloride
Identifiers
CAS Number	13595-81-8 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
ChEBI	CHEBI:30131 ;
ChemSpider	4514257 ;
PubChem CID	5359282;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID40159602 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/Al.ClH/h;1H/q+1;/p-1 Key: IZMHKHHRLNWLMK-UHFFFAOYSA-M ;
	SMILES [Al]Cl;
Properties
Chemical formula	AlCl
Molar mass	62.43 g·mol−1
Thermochemistry
Std molar; entropy (S⦵298)	227.95 J K−1 mol−1
Std enthalpy of; formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−51.46 kJ mol−1
Related compounds
Related compounds	aluminium monofluoride ; gallium monofluoride
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

Aluminium monochloride, or chloridoaluminium is the metal halide with the formula AlCl. Aluminium monochloride as a molecule is thermodynamically stable at high temperature and low pressure only. This compound is produced as a step in the Alcan process to smelt aluminium from an aluminium-rich alloy. When the alloy is placed in a reactor that is heated to 1,300 °C and mixed with aluminium trichloride, a gas of aluminium monochloride is produced.

2 Al(alloy) + AlCl₃(gas) → 3 AlCl(gas)

It then disproportionates into aluminium melt and aluminium trichloride upon cooling to 900 °C.

This molecule has been detected in the interstellar medium, where molecules are so dilute that intermolecular collisions are unimportant.