Iron(III) citrate

Iron(III) citrate technical grade is a brown to dark orangepowder. It is soluble in water, but insoluble in most organics includingalcohols. The powder is sensitive to light; like many iron carboxylates, bluelight photo-reduces iron(III) citrate, forming the Fe²⁺ ion andconcomitantly oxidizing the carboxyl group to yield carbon dioxide. Iron(III)citrate thermally decomposes to α-Fe₂O₃ at 460 °C.

Iron(III) citrate is a synthetic precursor for iron-containing compounds. It is commonly used to prepare Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles or Fe₃O₄^-nanocomposites by hydrothermal methods and Fe₂O₃ materials by thermal decomposition and sol-gel processing. Iron(III) citrate is well-suited to sol-gel processing because of its high solubility in water and low solubility inorganic phases. Consequently, iron(III) citrate is an important precursor in the synthesis of iron-doped and iron-containing metal oxides studied for lithium-ion battery cathodes.

It can also be used in the degradation of tetracycline for the treatment of polluted water.