Product Name: Lanthanum chloride
Cas No.: 10099-58-8
MF: Cl3La
MW: 245.26
Description: Lanthanum chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula LaCl3. It is a common salt but is mainly used in research. It is a white solid that is highly soluble in water and alcohols.
Lanthanum chloride does not enjoy many applications. A possible application involves the precipitation phosphate from solutions, e.g. in swimming pools to prevent algae growth. It has also shown use as a filter aid and an effective flocculent. Lanthanum chloride is also used in biochemical research to block the activity of divalent cation channels, mainly calcium channels. Doped with cerium, it is used as a scintillator material.
In organic synthesis, lanthanum trichloride functions as a mild Lewis acid for converting aldehydes to acetals.