Ferric
trication of iron
In chemistry, iron(III) or ferric refers to the element iron in its +3 oxidation state. Ferric chloride is an alternative name for iron(III) chloride (FeCl3). The adjective ferrous is used instead for iron(II) salts, containing the cation Fe2+. The word ferric is derived from the Latin word ferrum, meaning "iron".
Although often abbreviated as Fe3+, that naked ion does not exist except under extreme conditions. Iron(III) centres are found in many compounds and coordination complexes, where Fe(III) is bonded to several ligands. A molecular ferric complex is the anion ferrioxalate, [Fe(C2O4)3]3−, with three bidentate oxalate ions surrounding the Fe core. Relative to lower oxidation states, ferric is less common in organoiron chemistry, but the ferrocenium cation [Fe(C5H5)2]+ is well known.
Iron(III) in biology
All known forms of life require iron, which usually exists in Fe(II) or Fe(III) oxidation states. Many proteins in living beings contain iron(III) centers.
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