Plutonium(III) iodide

Plutonium(III) iodide is the iodide of plutonium with the chemical formula PuI3.

Preparation
Plutonium(III) iodide can be formed by the reaction of plutonium and mercury(II) iodide:


 * 2 Pu + 3 HgI2 -> 2 PuI3 + 3 Hg

It can also be produced by reacting plutonium and hydrogen iodide at 450 °C. Even if there is only a small amount of oxygen and water in the reaction, the generated plutonium(III) iodide will immediately hydrolyze into plutonium iodide oxide.


 * 2 Pu + 6 HI -> 2 PuI3 + 3 H2

Properties
Plutonium(III) iodide is a green solid with a melting point of 777 °C. It is orthorhombic (plutonium(III) bromide structure), space group Ccmm (No. 63), lattice parameters a = 433 pm, b = 1395 pm and c = 996 pm.