INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY HCMC

SCHOOL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY

Experiment 2
SYNTHESIS OF COPPER CHLORIDE

INSTRUCTOR: DR. HOANG LE SON

STUDENT NAME:
PHAM THI LINH CHI BTBCIU17061
LE THANH HAN BTBCIU17004
NGUYEN THANH HANG BTBCIU17050
NGUYEN THI NGOC LINH BTBCIU17041
DATE OF SUBMISSION: MAY 14th, 2019
 I. Abstract
The experiment illustrated the stabilization of oxidation states. The stabilization of Cu+ was
demonstrated through the synthesis of copper (I) chloride. This involved the reaction between
copper (II) chloride and sodium sulfite (SO32- reduced Cu2+ to Cu+) to form white solid. The
suspension of copper (I) chloride was diluted with sulfurous acid and the precipitate was allowed
to settle. Filtration was applied to filter solid by suction on a Buchner funnel and the product was
washed with sulfurous acid, ethanol, and ether, respectively. There were two ways to test the
presence of copper (I) chloride: the flame and the solution of potassium chloride mixed with
ethylenediamine. The results gave green-blue flame and black precipitate in the mixture if copper
(I) chloride was existed.

II. Introduction
Copper exists mostly as copper (I) and copper (II) compared to copper (III) which is rare. Copper
(I) chloride is a toxic substance and can be harmful in the form of: inhalation, ingestion, skin
contact, eye contact, chronic exposure.
The copper with 2+ oxidation state is more stable than copper 1 +.
The relevant redox potentials are:
Cu+ + e- ↔ Cu(s) E° = 0.52 V
Cu2+ + e- ↔ Cu+ E° = 0.15 V
Cu2+ + 2e- ↔ Cu(s) E° = 0.34 V
 Cu(s) + Cu2+ ↔ 2Cu+ E° = - 0.37 V
This experiment illustrated the techniques which were necessary to isolate and store inorganic
compounds with unstable oxidation state. In this lab work, copper (I) chloride was synthesized
by reducing copper (II) chloride. When copper (I) ions formed, it reacted with chloride ions to
form the insoluble copper (I) chloride.
2Cu2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) + SO32- (aq) + H2O(l) 2CuCl(s) + SO42-(aq) + 2H+(aq )
Buchner funnels is known as a piece laboratory equipment used in filtration. This funnel consists
of a shallow porcelain cylinder with a flat perforated base. By reducing pressure, the liquid is
drawn into the vacuum equipment and the precipitate is left on the filter paper.
Copper (I) chloride was filtrated by using Buchner funnel. It was very crucial to avoid all of
wash liquid to run through the filter, therefore air could be sucked in product and made it moist.
III. Materials and method
 Material:

Equipment Chemicals
• Beaker (250 mL) • Copper (II) Chloride
• Beaker (80 mL) • Sodium sulfite
• Cylinder • Ethanol
• Test tubes • Ether
• Stirring bar • Hydrochloric acid
• Pipette (10mL) • Ethylenediamine
• Dropper • Potassium chloride
• Buchner funnel • Distilled water
• A looped wire
• Alcohol burner
• Microspatula
• Filter paper

 Methods:
Part 1: Synthetic reaction of copper (I) chloride
Sodium sulfite (2.5g) was weighed and dissolved in 13 mL of distilled water. Copper (II)
chloride (3.3g) was weighed and dissolved in 7 mL of distilled water. The sulfurous acid
solution was prepared by dissolving sodium sulfite (0.3 g ) in 250 mL of distilled water followed
by addition of 3 ml of 2M hydrochloric acid. Sodium sulfite solution was added slowly to the
copper (II) chloride solution and simultaneously stirred until the white precipitate of copper (I)
chloride formed. After that, the suspension of copper (I) chloride was diluted with half of the
sulfurous acid solution and the precipitate was allowed to settle. Next, solid was filtrated by
suction on a Buchner funnel and washed with the remaining sulfurous acid . To asolutely wash
the product , 20 ml portions alcohol and 40 ml portions of anhydrous ether were added . Finally,
the precipitate was sucked to dryness about 30 seconds beyond the point at which most liquid
had passed through the filter and put in the closed container to avoid oxidation.
Part 2: Tests for copper (I) chloride
Firstly, a looped wire was used to take a small amount of copper (I) chloride precipitate and hold
it in the flame. The dominant flame color was observed and recorded. Secondly, an aqueous
solution of potassium chloride was prepared by adding nearly 0.1 g of potassium chloride to 10 –
20 mL of water. Then added a small quantity of copper (I) chloride. Finally, a few drops of
ethylenediamine was added until the precipitate formed.
IV. Results:

1 2 3

Figure 1: Preparation of 3 different solutions

(1) : 2.5 g of sodium sulfite dissolved in 13 mL of DW

(2) : 3.3 g of copper (II) chloride dehydrate dissolved in 7 mL of DW
(3) : 3 mL of 2M hydrochloric acid

Figure 2: suspension of copper (I) chloride Figure 3: Final solution

Figure 4: Precipitate of copper (I) chloride Figure 5: Burning copper (I) chloride
 Figure 6: aqueous solution of potassium chloride Figure 7: Precipitation of copper

V. Discussion
This experiment was designed to emphasize the technique used to isolate and store inorganic
compounds which had unstable oxidization states. Copper (II) chloride acted as an oxidizing
agent and was being reduced to copper (I) ion. The reaction between sodium sulfite and copper
(II) chloride was a redox reaction.
2Cu2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) + SO32- (aq) + H2O(l) 2CuCl(s) + SO42-(aq) + 2H+(aq )
Copper (I) chloride is a white solid and insoluble in water. But in the step doing filtration with
Buchner funnel, most of the wash liquid was run through the filter paper so the compound was
drier than expectation. Therefore, precipitation did not happen perfectly, the color of solid turned
to green because of oxidation. Since copper (I) chloride was oxidized by air to copper (II)
chloride by chemical equation below:
12 CuCl(s) + 3 O2(g) + 8 H2O(l) 2 CuCl2.3Cu(OH)2.H2O + 4 CuCl2

The amount of copper (I) chloride had been reduced due to oxidation.

In the flame test, fire had a mix color between green and blue. On the looped wire appeared
black fire which base on this equation:
2CuCl2 + O2 2CuO + 2Cl2
In the second test for copper (I) chloride, reaction with ethylenediamine (en) in aqueous
potassium chloride solution forms Cu(II)-ethylenediamine complex, while Cu+ ion is reduced to
its metallic state:
2 CuCl(s) + 2en → [Cu(en)2]2+ + 2 Cl– + Cu(s)
VI. Conclusion
In conclusion, copper (I) chloride can be prepared by reducing copper (II) chloride. This way is
safe and very common in laboratory.
The relative stabilities of each oxidation state depend on the nature of ligands and anions as well
as the nature of the solvent medium. Copper(I) chloride forms heavy white masses, insoluble in
water, and oxidizes easily in the air yielding green oxidized product. Therefore, filtration in this
experiment required high attention in order to avoid any of the several wash liquid to run through
the filter completely.

VII. References
[1] https://hazard.com/msds/mf/baker/baker/files/c5949.htm
[2] http://www.prepchem.com/synthesis-of-cuprous-chloride/
[3] https://studfiles.net/preview/409828/page:6/