The Rise of Trichlorides Enabling an Improved Chlorine Technology

Chlorine plays a central role for the industrial production of numerous materials with global relevance. More recently, polychlorides have been evolved from an area of academic interest to a research topic with enormous industrial potential. In this minireview, the value of trichlorides for chlorine storage and chlorination reactions are outlined. Particularly, the inexpensive ionic liquid [NEt3Me][Cl3] shows a similar and sometimes even advantageous reactivity compared to chlorine gas, while offering a superior safety profile. Used as a chlorine storage, [NEt3Me][Cl3] could help to overcome the current limitations of storing and transporting chlorine in larger quantities. Thus, trichlorides could become a key technique for the flexibilization of the chlorine production enabling an exploitation of renewable, yet fluctuating, electrical energy. As the loaded storage, [NEt3Me][Cl3], is a proven chlorination reagent, it could directly be employed for downstream processes, paving the path to a more practical and safer chlorine industry.