Cadmium chloride is a precursor material for cadmium sulfide, which is a brilliant yellow pigment known as Cadmium Yellow. It is mainly utilized in dyeing, pigments, photocopying and electroplating of cadmium. It is a mild Lewis acid, and can form tetrachlorocadmium species. It is used in the preparation of organocadmium compounds, such as dialkyl or diaryl cadmium, which are useful for the synthesis of ketones.

This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.