The gas-phase standard molar enthalpy of formation of the 2,3,5-trichloropyridine compound was derived from the enthalpies of combustion of the crystalline solid measured by rotating-bomb calorimetry and its enthalpy of sublimation obtained by Calvet microcalorimetry at T = 298.15 K. The standard enthalpies of formation for this compound and for the other chlorosubstituted pyridines were determined by DFT calculations. The experimental enthalpy of formation of 2,3,5-trichloropyridine is (65.8 +/- 2.3) kJ mol(-1), in excellent agreement with the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) value. The affinity of pyridine to some metal cations was also calculated at the same DFT level of theory and compared with experimental data. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.