Cupric Chloride Anhydrous CuCl₂ · anhydrous · CAS 7447-39-4
Dark brown, not blue — and that is how you know it is the anhydrous one. It carries 47.3% copper against the dihydrate’s 37.3%, and it absorbs moisture back if you let it.
Chelora Chemicals is an anhydrous cupric chloride supplier and sourcing partner serving catalyst, chlorination and specialty chemical buyers across the United States, with a batch COA, SDS and UN 3077 documentation on every consignment.
- CAS Number
- 7447-39-4
- Chemical name
- Copper(II) chloride, anhydrous
- Molecular formula
- CuCl₂
- Molecular weight
- 134.45 g/mol
- Copper as Cu (theoretical)
- 47.3%
- Appearance
- Dark brown solid
- Behavior in moist air
- Absorbs water, becomes the dihydrate
- Transport
- UN 3077 · Class 9 · PG III
- HS Code
- 2827 39
Note: color tells you which one you have. Anhydrous CuCl₂ is CAS 7447-39-4, 134.45 g/mol, dark brown, 47.3% copper. The dihydrate is CAS 10125-13-0, 170.48 g/mol, light blue, 37.3% copper. Anhydrous material slowly absorbs moisture from the air and converts to the dihydrate — so a consignment arriving blue-tinged has already taken up water, and your copper assay has moved with it.
The water-free end
Cupric chloride exists commercially in two forms. Which you need depends entirely on whether water is welcome in your process.
Why it matters: the conversion runs both ways — which is why the moisture barrier on an anhydrous grade is part of the specification, not the packaging budget
When the water is unwelcome
Anhydrous cupric chloride is a dark brown solid, CuCl₂, carrying 47.3% copper — a full ten points more than the blue dihydrate, because there are no waters of crystallization taking up weight. It is freely soluble in water and melts far higher than the hydrate, with decomposition to copper(I) chloride and chlorine beginning around 400 °C.
Its applications are those of cupric chloride generally — Wacker and Deacon catalysis, chlorination of aromatics and carbonyl compounds, vinyl chloride and dichloromethane manufacture — but specified anhydrous where the reaction is run water-free or where the hydrate’s water would shift stoichiometry. The second benefit is freight: at 47.3% against 37.3% copper, roughly 21% less material ships for the same copper delivered.
When to specify anhydrous over the dihydrate
- Water-free reaction conditions. The main reason — the dihydrate brings its own water into the pot.
- Copper density. 47.3% against 37.3%, so materially less tonnage for the same copper.
- Everywhere water is harmless, buy the dihydrate. It is cheaper, easier to store and does not need a moisture barrier.
- The hydrated form: cupric chloride dihydrate.
Handling character
Cupric chloride causes serious eye damage, attacks metals and is a Class 9 dangerous good. Full detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Dark brown solid |
| Assay as CuCl₂ | Per agreed specification |
| Copper as Cu | 47.3% theoretical |
| Water content | Per agreed specification — the defining parameter |
| Free acid & iron | Per agreed specification |
| Water insolubles | Per agreed specification |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Dark brown solid |
| Molecular weight | 134.45 g/mol |
| Copper as Cu, theoretical | 47.3% |
| Water solubility | Freely soluble |
| In moist air | Absorbs water to the dihydrate |
| Decomposition | To CuCl and chlorine from ≈ 400 °C |
| Versus dihydrate | 47.3% vs 37.3% Cu; brown vs blue |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 7447-39-4 and rounded for readability. The reported melting point of 498 °C for anhydrous copper(II) chloride is for a melt of mixed copper(I) and copper(II) chloride; the extrapolated true figure is about 630 °C. Treat the table as orientation, not as a specification.
Where US industry uses the anhydrous grade
Water-free catalysis, chlorination and specialty synthesis.
Wacker & Deacon catalysis
A co-catalyst with palladium(II) chloride in the Wacker process and an oxychlorination catalyst in the Deacon process.
- Water content is the key specification
- Documented impurity profile
- Consistent assay lot to lot
Vinyl chloride & chlorinated solvents
A catalyst in the chlorination steps for vinyl chloride and dichloromethane manufacture.
- Bulk and bagged supply
- Low iron on request
- Second source held in reserve
Water-free organic synthesis
Chlorinates aromatics and the alpha position of carbonyl compounds, specified anhydrous where the reaction excludes water.
- Moisture-barrier packaging
- Small quantities available
- Reagent documentation on request
Copper density in shipping
At 47.3% copper against 37.3% for the dihydrate, roughly 21% less material ships for the same copper delivered.
- Lower freight per kg copper
- Bulk supply available
- Consistent assay
Electronics & etching chemistry
Used where a concentrated anhydrous chloride source is wanted for making up etchant or process solutions.
- Free acid specified
- Low iron on request
- Dihydrate also supplied
Import & compliance coordination
Industrial and catalytic uses take the ordinary import route. Note the US pesticide position on the dihydrate page before assuming otherwise.
- End use confirmed before quoting
- UN 3077 documentation prepared
- Broker coordination on request
Delivered to US plants and ports
We ship anhydrous cupric chloride to nominated delivery points across the United States. The regions below are destinations we serve — Chelora Chemicals is a sourcing and supply partner, not a US manufacturer, and does not hold US stock.
Gulf Coast
The largest US chemical cluster, and the usual entry point for bulk consignments.
- Houston & Galveston, TX
- New Orleans & Baton Rouge, LA
- Mobile, AL
Northeast
Container and bulk delivery into the mid-Atlantic and New England manufacturing belt.
- Newark & Elizabeth, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Boston, MA
Southeast
Port-side delivery for the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida processing plants.
- Savannah, GA
- Charleston, SC
- Jacksonville, FL & Norfolk, VA
Midwest & Great Lakes
Inland rail and truck forwarding from the nearest coastal port to the industrial Midwest.
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland & Columbus, OH
West Coast
Pacific routing for West Coast processors and formulators.
- Los Angeles & Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle & Tacoma, WA
Southwest & Mountain
Inland delivery to interior states, forwarded from the Gulf or Pacific gateway.
- Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Denver, CO
Importing into the United States
Anhydrous cupric chloride is a TSCA-regulated chemical substance. Under TSCA section 13 the importer of record, or its authorized agent, must certify to US Customs and Border Protection that each shipment either complies with TSCA or is not subject to it. We confirm the substance's TSCA Inventory status and agree in writing who files that certification before the first consignment moves.
Which party carries that duty follows the Incoterm. On FOB, CFR or CIF terms it is usually the US buyer; on DDP terms it can be the seller or its agent. Safety data sheets and labels are supplied to OSHA's updated Hazard Communication Standard, and the UN 3077 Class 9 transport documentation is prepared before booking.
| Item | How it works |
|---|---|
| Delivery points | Any nominated US plant, terminal or port of discharge |
| Incoterms quoted | FOB · CFR · CIF · DDP |
| Importer of record | Agreed in writing before the first shipment |
| TSCA certification | Section 13 positive certification filed at entry |
| Documentation | Batch COA, SDS, packing list, certificate of origin |
| Pack formats | 25 kg drums or lined bags |
Note: regional coverage describes where we deliver, not where we hold inventory. Lead time depends on producer scheduling and ocean transit to your nominated US port — we confirm both in the quotation.
How we supply anhydrous cupric chloride
Chelora Chemicals is a cupric chloride supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. On the anhydrous grade the specification that matters is water content — it is the reason the grade exists, and it is what degrades if the pack is wrong.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your water and impurity specification, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm US import requirements before booking.
We will also tell you when the dihydrate is the right buy. If your process tolerates water, you are paying for a drying step and a moisture barrier you do not need.
- Water content specified, because it is the whole point. An anhydrous grade that has taken up moisture is a dihydrate with a wrong label and a wrong assay.
- Color recorded at dispatch. Dark brown is anhydrous; blue tinge means water has been absorbed in transit or storage.
- Moisture-barrier packaging as standard. On this grade the pack is part of the specification rather than an afterthought.
- Metal corrosion flagged. Copper chloride attacks metals, so containers, handling equipment and spill response all need to account for it.
- We will steer you to the dihydrate where that is right. If water is harmless in your process, the hydrate is cheaper and easier.
- UN 3077 documentation prepared before booking. Class 9 on aquatic toxicity grounds; the paperwork is not optional.
Drummed or lined-bagged
25 kg lined drums or moisture-barrier bags — non-metallic, because the material attacks bare metal.
25 kg lined plastic drums
Sealed non-metallic drums with a moisture barrier — the default for an anhydrous chloride.
25 kg poly-lined bags
Moisture-barrier bags on stretch-wrapped pallets, UN-marked, where drum handling is not wanted.
500–1,000 kg bulk bags
Liner-fitted bulk bags for high-volume catalyst and chlorination operations.
Small sealed units
Smaller sealed units for laboratory, pilot and reagent work.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with dangerous goods documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for catalyst and reaction trials before a commercial order.
Serious eye damage, corrosive to metals, Class 9
Cupric chloride carries three distinct cautions. It is harmful by ingestion and causes serious eye damage; it attacks metals, which affects storage and handling equipment; and it is very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects, which is what makes it a Class 9 dangerous good. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H290May be corrosive to metals.H302Harmful if swallowed.H315Causes skin irritation.H318Causes serious eye damage.H410Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
End use decides the import route. These copper compounds have industrial, catalytic, feed and in some cases pesticidal applications, and they do not all follow the same path into the United States. Where material is destined for a pesticidal use, the import is a pesticide import: it requires a Notice of Arrival, EPA Form 3540-1, filed with Customs, and any product sold or applied here must itself be EPA-registered under FIFRA, with that registration held by the registrant and never by a raw material supplier. For catalyst, electronics, metallurgical or other industrial use a different route applies, and feed use is a separate regulatory question again. Tell us the end use before we quote.
Storage
Store in sealed, non-metallic or lined, moisture-barrier packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Two things are working against you here: the material is corrosive to metals, so bare steel shelving and fittings are a poor choice; and it is hygroscopic, so an opened or permeable pack converts the anhydrous grade toward the dihydrate. Bunded or contained storage is advised because of the aquatic hazard.
Handling
Handle with dust control, impervious gloves and tight-fitting eye protection; the material causes serious eye damage and is harmful if swallowed. Use non-metallic scoops and equipment where practical, and minimize the time packs are open. Prevent any release to drains, watercourses or soil. Follow the controls in the batch SDS.
Transport
This material is classified as dangerous goods for transport on the basis of aquatic toxicity, normally shipped as UN 3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s., Class 9, Packing Group III. Marked and labeled packaging, a dangerous goods declaration and compliant documentation are required. We confirm and document the classification for your specific grade, packaging and destination before booking.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Copper assay, hydration or oxidation state, particle size, impurity limits and end use confirmed before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS, import position and UN 3077 paperwork checked by our desk before booking.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How the anhydrous grade is produced
Anhydrous cupric chloride is made by dehydrating the dihydrate — driving off the two waters of crystallization at around 100 °C — or by direct chlorination of copper metal. The dihydrate is what crystallizes from solution, so as with the copper acetates, the anhydrous grade is a separate drying operation and prices accordingly.
The conversion is reversible, and that is the practical point. Anhydrous CuCl₂ slowly absorbs moisture from the air and reverts toward the dihydrate, taking its color from dark brown back toward blue and its copper assay from 47.3% down toward 37.3%. An opened pack left in a humid warehouse stops being the product you bought.
Heated further, from about 400 °C, cupric chloride decomposes to copper(I) chloride and chlorine, a process complete near 1,000 °C. That relationship between the two oxidation states runs through the whole copper chloride family.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Chemical family | Copper(II) chloride, anhydrous |
|---|---|
| Copper content | 47.3% theoretical |
| Color | Dark brown; the dihydrate is light blue |
| Why anhydrous | Water-free reactions, and copper density |
| Weakness | Hygroscopic — reverts to the dihydrate |
| Default grade | Dihydrate, unless water interferes |
The copper chloride range and related compounds
The other copper chlorides and salts supplied from the same desk.
Anhydrous cupric chloride, answered
What is the difference between anhydrous and dihydrate cupric chloride?
When do I need the anhydrous grade?
Why does it carry so much more copper?
Does it absorb moisture?
Is it corrosive to equipment?
What happens when it is heated?
Which impurities matter most?
Is it hazardous?
Do you supply anhydrous cupric chloride in the United States?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Get a quote on anhydrous cupric chloride
Tell us your water specification and whether the reaction excludes water — that decides whether you need the anhydrous grade at all. Send free acid and iron limits, pack size and US delivery point with it.