Iron(III) sulfide

Iron(III) sulfide, also known as ferric sulfide or sesquisulfide, is one of the three iron sulfides besides FeS and FeS2. It is a solid, black powder but decays at ambient temperature into a yellow-green powder.

Iron(III) sulfide
Names
IUPAC name
Iron(III) sulfide
Other names
Iron sesquisulfide

Ferric sulfide

Diiron trisulfide
Identifiers
ChEBI
UNII
Properties
Fe2S3
Molar mass 207.90 g/mol [1]
Appearance yellow-green [1]
Density 4.3 g/cm3 [1]
Melting point decomposition [1]
very slightly soluble [1]
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N verify (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

This is a relatively unstable artificial product that does not occur in nature.

Preparation and properties

Sources

Fe2S3 is prepared by addition of refrigerated iron(III) chloride solution to also cooled sodium sulfide solution.

2 FeCl3 + 3 Na2S → Fe2S3↓ + 6 NaCl

It is also produced as a side-product of desulfurization of fuel gasses. The gas is pumped through a container of hydrated iron(III) oxide, which combines with hydrogen sulfide.

Fe
2O
3(s) + H
2O(l) + 3 H
2S(g) → Fe
2S
3(s) + 6  H
2O(l)

Reactions

Iron(III) sulfide decays at a temperature over 20 °C into iron(II) sulfide (FeS) and elemental sulfur:[2]

Fe2S3 → 2 FeS + S↓

With hydrochloric acid it decays according to the following reaction equation:[3]

Fe2S3 + 4 HCl → 2 FeCl2 + 2 H2S↑ + S↓

References
  1. Charles D. Hodgman, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (1961), p.590
  2. Holleman, Wiberg (2001). Inorganic Chemistry. p. 1451. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
  3. H. Roempp, Chemie (1997), S. 1099; ISBN 3-13-734710-6
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