Process for the preparation and/or purification of ruthenium(iii) chloride

A process for the preparation of ruthenium(III) chloride (RuCl3), the process comprising at least the steps of:

• a) providing a hydrochloric acid solution,
• b) providing at least one ruthenium salt of the formula (I):
• (X)y[RuCl6]2− and/or (X)y[RuCl6]3− (I)
• wherein X is a monovalent, divalent or trivalent cation and y is 1, 2 or 3,
• c) combining the hydrochloric acid solution of step a) and the at least one ruthenium salt of step b) and heating the obtained mixture to a temperature T of ≧70° C.,
• d) adjusting the pH of the mixture obtained in step c) to a pH from 0 to 2, and
• e) passing the mixture obtained in step d) through a cation exchanger to obtain a solution comprising ruthenium(III) chloride (RuCl3),
• wherein step e) is carried out after step d).

A process for the purification of ruthenium(III) chloride (RuCl3), the process comprising at least the steps of:

• a) providing a hydrochloric acid solution,
• b) providing ruthenium(III) chloride in dry form or in a form of a solution, wherein the ruthenium(III) chloride comprises impurities,
• c) combining the hydrochloric acid solution of step a) and the ruthenium(III) chloride of step b) and heating the obtained mixture to a temperature T of ≧70° C.,
• d) adjusting the pH of the mixture obtained in step c) to a pH from 0 to 2, and
• e) passing the mixture obtained in step d) through a cation exchanger to obtain a solution comprising ruthenium(III) chloride (RuCl3),
• wherein step e) is carried out after step d).