Anhydrous Aqua Regia: Benefits, Hazards & Effectiveness

[BernieM]

Phosphorus pentoxide can make nitric acid anhydrous, also hydrochloric. Aqua regia being a combination of the two acids, it seems to follow that the addition of phosphorus pentoxide would result in an anhydrous aqua regia? Is this a correct assumption? If it is correct, then would the 'anhydrous aqua regia' be more effective? And would there be any unusual hazards beyond being a more potent form of aqua regia?

 

[Borek]

HCl without water is hardly an acid.

 

[DrDu]

The reactive principle in aqua regia is nitrosyl chloride ClNO. There are methods to prepare it in pure and anhydrous form.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosyl_chloride