Hydrolysis of Iron(III)…Chaotic Olation Versus Nucleation

Abstract

At moderate temperatures, a variety of sols, gels, amorphous or crystalline precipitates emerge from hydrolysis of iron(III) in aqueous solution. The product distribution reflects the interplay of fast proton transfer, olation and aggregation reactions. Polynuclear oxohydroxocomplexes with well-defined structures are formed under favorable circumstances in homogeneous solution. Polynuclear species with β-FeO(OH) structures have been identified in chloride solutions.