Hello Nexians, it's been a while.

I'm conducting research into ancient extraction techniques and have been given advice along the lines of looking into the potential historical use of antimony trichloride/oxychloride as a solvent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony_oxychloride

Does anyone here have experience in the use of this 'butter of antimony' or can they advise the risks and drawbacks of such a solvent?

An advantage is it is prepared with cheap and available mineral sulphur and Quicklime.

Thanks in advance for your help!

F*** no!!!!

Antimony trichloride is moisture sensitive, corrosive and toxic like arsenic!

Also, you can't make antimony chloride using sulfur and quicklime - that would make a mixture of calcium sulfides and salts of calcium with sulfur oxoanions, so I don't know what preparative technique you've been reading.

Regardless of all that. I can't see how antimony trichloride would be of much use as an extraction solvent - presumably for alkaloids - as its melting point is 73°C iirc.

Had you perchance consumed a fair bit of reefer while doing this research?