DOE OSTI2020
FeCl3 crystallizes in the triclinic P1 space group. The structure is one-dimensional and consists of one FeCl3 ribbon oriented in the (1, 0, 0) direction. there are two inequivalent Fe3+ sites. In the first Fe3+ site, Fe3+ is bonded to five Cl1- atoms to form corner-sharing FeCl5 trigonal bipyramids. There are a spread of Fe–Cl bond distances ranging from 2.13–2.30 Å. In the second Fe3+ site, Fe3+ is bonded in a distorted see-saw-like geometry to four Cl1- atoms. There are a spread of Fe–Cl bond distances ranging from 2.10–2.21 Å. There are six inequivalent Cl1- sites. In the first Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Fe3+ atom. In the second Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in an L-shaped geometry to two Fe3+ atoms. In the third Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Fe3+ atom. In the fourth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Fe3+ atom. In the fifth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in an L-shaped geometry to two Fe3+ atoms. In the sixth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a bent 120 degrees geometry to two equivalent Fe3+ atoms.