Vanadium(II) chloride
# Vanadium(II) chloride

Vanadium(II) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula $VCl_2,$ and is the most reduced vanadium chloride. Vanadium(II) chloride is an apple-green solid that dissolves in water to give purple solutions.

## Preparation, properties, and related compounds

Solid $VCl_2$ is prepared by thermal decomposition of $VCl_3,$ which leaves a residue of $VCl_2:$

    2 $VCl_3$ → $VCl_2$ + $VCl_4$

$VCl_2$ dissolves in water to give the purple hexaaquo ion $[V(H_2O)_6]^{2+}.$ Evaporation of such solutions produces crystals of $[V(H_2O)_6]Cl_2.$

Vanadium dichloride is used as a specialty reductant in organic chemistry. As an aqueous solution, it converts cyclohexylnitrate to cyclohexanone. It reduces phenyl azide into aniline.

## Structure

Solid $VCl_2$ adopts the cadmium iodide structure, featuring octahedral coordination geometry. $VBr_2$ and $VI_2$ are structurally and chemically similar to the dichloride. All have the $d^3$ configuration, with a quartet ground state, akin to Cr(III).

