Coclé Province

Coclé is a province of central Panama on the nation's southern coast. The sub-capital is the city of Penonomé. This province was created by the Act of September 12, 1855 with the title of Department of Coclé during the presidency of Dr. Justo de Arosemena. It became a province, Decretory Number 190, on October 20, 1985. Coclé is primarily an agricultural area, with sugar and tomatoes as major crops. The province has a number of well-known beaches, such as Santa Clara, Farallon and Rio Hato, and tourist activity has increased in recent years. It has a population of 233,708 (2010).

Pre-Columbian Coclé

During pre-Columbian times, the area of Panama which today includes Coclé province had a number of identifiable native cultures. Archaeologists have loosely designated these cultures by pottery style. The poorly studied La Mula period ranged from 150 BC to AD 300. It was followed by the Tonosi period, from AD 300 to AD 550, and by the Cubita period, from AD 550 to AD 700. A unified Native American culture appears to have flourished in this area from approximately 1200 BC until the 16th century.

Cobalt(II) chloride

Cobalt(II) chloride is an inorganic compound of cobalt and chlorine, with the formula CoCl₂. It is usually supplied as the hexahydrate CoCl₂•6H₂O, which is one of the most commonly used cobalt compounds in the lab.

The hexahydrate is deep purple in color, whereas the anhydrous form is sky blue. A blend would be mauve. Because of the ease of the hydration/dehydration reaction, and the resulting color change, cobalt chloride is used as an indicator for water in desiccants.

Niche uses of cobalt chloride include its role in organic synthesis and electroplating objects with cobalt metal.

Cobalt chloride has been classified as a Substance of very high concern by the European Chemicals Agency as it is a suspected carcinogen.

Properties

Aqueous solutions of both CoCl₂ and the hydrate contain the species [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺. They also contain chloride ions. In the solid state CoCl₂•6H₂O consists of the molecule trans-[CoCl₂(H₂O)₄] and two molecules of water of crystallization. This species dissolves readily in water and alcohol. Concentrated aqueous solutions are red at room temperature but become blue when heated. CoCl₂•6H₂O is deliquescent and the anhydrous salt CoCl₂ is hygroscopic, readily converting to the hydrate.

Phosgene

Phosgene is the chemical compound with the formula COCl₂. This colorless gas gained infamy as a chemical weapon during World War I where it was responsible for about 85% of the 100,000 deaths caused by chemical weapons. It is also a valued industrial reagent and building block in synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds. In low concentrations, its odor resembles freshly cut hay or grass. In addition to its industrial production, small amounts occur from the breakdown and the combustion of organochlorine compounds, such as those used in refrigeration systems. The chemical was named by combining the Greek words 'phos' (meaning light) and genesis (birth); it does not mean it contains any phosphorus (cf. phosphine).

Structure and basic properties

Phosgene is a planar molecule as predicted by VSEPR theory. The C=O distance is 1.18 Å, the C—Cl distance is 1.74 Å and the Cl—C—Cl angle is 111.8°. It is one of the simplest acid chlorides, being formally derived from carbonic acid.