ZrCl2 crystallizes in the trigonal R-3 space group. Zr(1) is bonded to two equivalent Cl(1) and three equivalent Cl(2) atoms to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing ZrCl5 square pyramids. There are two inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to two equivalent Zr(1) atoms. In the second Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to three equivalent Zr(1) atoms.
ZrCl2 crystallizes in the trigonal R-3 space group. Zr(1) is bonded to two equivalent Cl(1) and three equivalent Cl(2) atoms to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing ZrCl5 square pyramids. There is one shorter (2.53 Å) and one longer (2.54 Å) Zr(1)-Cl(1) bond length. There are a spread of Zr(1)-Cl(2) bond distances ranging from 2.59-2.90 Å. There are two inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to two equivalent Zr(1) atoms. In the second Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to three equivalent Zr(1) atoms.