Zirconium_perchlorate
Zirconium perchlorate
Chemical compound
Zirconium perchlorate is a molecular substance containing zirconium and perchlorate groups with formula Zr(ClO4)4. Zr(ClO4)4 is a volatile crystalline product. It can be formed by reacting zirconium tetrachloride with dry perchloric acid at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Zr(ClO4)4 sublimes slowly in a vacuum at 70°C showing that the molecule is covalently bound rather than being ionic.[1] The reaction also forms some zirconyl perchlorate (or zirconium oxyperchlorate) ZrO(ClO4)2 as even apparently pure perchloric acid is in equilibrium with dichlorine heptoxide, hydronium ions and perchlorate ions. This side product can be minimised by adding more dichlorine heptoxide or doing the reaction as cold as possible.[1]