The thermal decomposition of metal complexes—XVIII Intermediates formed in the decomposition of hexamminecobalt (III) chloride

The intermediates formed during the thermal dissociation of [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 were reinvestigated by magnetic and spectroscopic techniques. The dissociation reaction was found to be: 6[Co(NH3)6]Cl3 → 3CoCl2 + 3(NH4)2[CoCl4] + N2 + 28NH3 followed by: 3(NH4)2[CoCl4] → 6NH4Cl + 3CoCl2. The overall reaction is then 6[Co(NH3)6]Cl3 → 6CoCl2 + 6NH4Cl + N2 + 28NH3.