Vanadium(V) chloride
# Vanadium(V) chloride

Vanadium(V) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula $VCl_5.$ It is a black diamagnetic solid. The molecules adopt a bioctahedral structure similar to that of niobium(V) chloride.

## Preparation and reactions

Vanadium(V) chloride is prepared from the vanadium pentafluoride with excess boron trichloride:

    2 $VF_5$ + 10 $BCl_3$ → $[VCl_5]_2$ + 10 $BF_2Cl$

It is unstable at room temperature with respect to vanadium(IV) chloride:

    $[VCl_5]_2$ → 2 $VCl_4$ + $Cl_2$

In contrast, the heavier analogues $NbCl_5$ and $TaCl_5$ are stable and not particularly oxidizing.

