chloride

chloride

1. any salt of hydrochloric acid, containing the chloride ion Cl^--

2. any compound containing a chlorine atom, such as methyl chloride (chloromethane), CH₃Cl

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

chloride

[′klȯr‚īd]

(chemistry)

A compound which is derived from hydrochloric acid and contains the chlorine atom in the -1 oxidation state.

In general, any binary compound containing chloride.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Chloride

 

any one of a group of compounds of chlorine with all elements possessing lower electronegativity, that is, with all metals and nonmetals except oxygen and fluorine. (The chlorides of nitrogen constitute another exception; they are named thus, although the electronegativity of nitrogen is greater than that of chorine.)

Metal chlorides (or salts of hydrochloric acid) are solids, most of which melt or vaporize without decomposition. Most are readily soluble in water except AgCl, CuCl, HgCl₂, TlCl, and PbCl₂, which are poorly soluble. The chlorides of alkali and alkaline-earth metals are neutral. Solutions of chlorides of other metals are acidic as a result of hydrolysis; for example, AlCl₃ + 3H₂O = Al(OH)₃ + 3HCl.

Chlorides of nonmetals may be gases (HCl), liquids (PCl₃), or solids (PCl₅). Such compounds are hydrolyzed by water; for example, PCl₅ + 4H₂O = H₃PO₄ + 5HCl.

Sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride are common in nature (see).

For information on the properties, production, and uses of chlorides, seePOTASSIUM CHLORIDE; SODIUM CHLORIDE; MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE; CALCIUM CHLORIDE; and TITANIUM HALIDE.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.