Phosphorus pentachloride is a greenish-yellow crystalline solid with an irritating odor. It is decomposed by water to form hydrochloric and phosphoric acid and heat. This heat may be sufficient to ignite surrounding combustible material. It is corrosive to metals and tissue. Long term exposure to low concentrations or short term exposure to high concentrations can result in adverse health effects from inhalation.

Phosphorus pentachloride is mainly used as a chlorinating reagent for alcohols, carboxylic acids, amides, aldehydes and ketones, and enols, as well as a reagent for Beckmann rearrangement.It serves as a chlorinating agent and catalyst in organic synthesis, and is a raw material for the production of pharmaceuticals, dyes and chemical fibers, as well as for the production of phosphazene chloride and phosphoryl chloride.