As chloride ions are replaced on Fe 3 , the process continues sequentially until it contains solvated
Fe 3 (as the complex [Fe(OPX 3 ) 6 ] 3 ) and the chloride complex, FeCl 4 .
The coordination model provides a way to explain many reactions that occur in nonaqueous solvents
without having to assume that autoionization takes place. As shown in Eq. (10.17), the fact that
FeCl 4 is produced can be explained by substitution rather than autoionization. However, as has been
shown earlier in this chapter, it is sometimes useful to assume that the solvent concept is valid, and
many reactions take place just as if the solvent has ionized to a slight degree into an acidic and a basic
species.