Osmium(III) chloride

Osmium(III) chloride is an inorganic chemical compound of osmium metal and chlorine with the chemical formula OsCl3.

Synthesis
Osmium(III) chloride can be made by a reaction of chlorine with osmium:
 * 2Os + 3Cl2 -> 2OsCl3

It can also be made by heating of osmium(IV) chloride:
 * 2OsCl4 -> 2OsCl3 + Cl2

Physical properties
Osmium(III) chloride forms black-brown crystals.

Osmium(III) chloride forms a hydrate of the composition OsCl3*3H2O with dark green crystals.

Uses and reactions
Osmium(III) chloride hydrate is used as a precursor material for the production of dichlorodihydridoosmium complex compounds and other compounds.

It is the precursor to a variety of arene complexes.