Chlorine Hexoxide and Chlorine Trioxide

A RED oily liquid was detected by Bowen¹ in a study of the photochemistry of chlorine dioxide. This substance was isolated by Bodenstein, Harteck and Padelt² and was found by them to contain three atoms of oxygen to one of chlorine. Its molecular weight when dissolved in carbon tetrachloride was found to be 153-156 and it was called chlorine hexoxide (M.W. 167). The oxide has been found as a product in a large number of photochemical and thermal reactions^3-12, but no determinations have been recorded of its molecular weight in the gaseous or pure liquid states. During a study of the physical properties of this oxide, we have found that in the gaseous state it exists entirely as ClO₃, and that an equilibrium between this phase and the liquid phase is readily attained. A more complete report of this work will appear shortly elsewhere.