C2Cl2O3

C2Cl2O3 is a molecular formula that comprises two carbon atoms, two chlorine atoms, and three oxygen atoms. It does not designate a single, well-defined compound; multiple constitutional isomers could fit the formula, and the properties of any specific substance depend on its exact structure.

Because the formula allows several structural arrangements, possible motifs include diacyl or ester-like frameworks, and other arrangements that place two chlorine atoms on a two-carbon backbone with three oxygens total. With only two carbons, any stable isomer would be highly dependent on how the oxygens are arranged (for example, carbonyl, ether, or peroxide-type linkages) and how the chlorines are substituted. In practice, the exact identity and stability of such isomers would be determined experimentally.

Identification and analysis rely on standard chemical methods. High-resolution mass spectrometry can confirm the molecular formula, while infrared spectroscopy can reveal carbonyl or C–O functional groups. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy would help establish the carbon framework, and X-ray crystallography can provide definitive structural information for crystalline samples. The approximate molecular weight is about 142.9 g/mol.

Synthesis and applications are not tied to a single widely used compound for this formula. Any practical preparation would require constructing a two-carbon skeleton with accompanying chlorine and oxygen functionalities, and specifics are speculative without a defined structure. Handling would follow general precautions for chlorinated organic compounds.

See also: oxalyl chloride (C2Cl2O2), a related but distinct compound with the same carbon and chlorine count but fewer oxygens.