Mercury(I) nitrate
Names | |
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IUPAC name
Mercury(I) nitrate
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Other names
Mercurous nitrate
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Identifiers | |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.202.814 |
EC Number |
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PubChem CID
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UNII |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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Properties | |
Hg2(NO3)2 (anhydrous) Hg2(NO3)2·2H2O (dihydrate) | |
Molar mass | 525.19 g/mol (anhydrous) 561.22 g/mol (dihydrate) |
Appearance | white monoclinic crystals (anhydrous) colorless crystals (dihydrate) |
Density | ? g/cm3 (anhydrous) 4.8 g/cm3 (dihydrate) |
Melting point | ? (anhydrous) decomposes at 70 °C (dihydrate) |
slightly soluble, reacts | |
−27.95·10−6 cm3/mol | |
Hazards | |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Related compounds | |
Other anions
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Mercury(I) fluoride Mercury(I) chloride Mercury(I) bromide Mercury(I) iodide |
Other cations
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Mercury(II) nitrate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Mercury(I) nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula Hg2(NO3)2. It is used in the preparation of other mercury(I) compounds, and is toxic.
Reactions
Mercury(I) nitrate is formed when elemental mercury is combined with dilute nitric acid (concentrated nitric acid will yield mercury(II) nitrate). Mercury(I) nitrate is a reducing agent which is oxidized upon contact with air.
Mercuric nitrate can be reacted with elemental mercury to form mercurous nitrate.[citation needed]
Solutions of mercury(I) nitrate are acidic due to slow reaction with water:
- Hg2(NO3)2 + H2O ⇌ Hg2(NO3)(OH) + HNO3
Hg2(NO3)(OH) forms a yellow precipitate.
If the solution is boiled or exposed to light, mercury(I) nitrate undergoes a disproportionation reaction yielding elemental mercury and mercury(II) nitrate:[2]
- Hg2(NO3)2 ⇌ Hg + Hg(NO3)2
These reactions are reversible; the nitric acid formed can redissolve the basic salt.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Lide, David R. (1998), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87 ed.), Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, pp. 4–45, ISBN 0-8493-0594-2
- ^ a b Patnaik, Pradyot (2003), Handbook of Inorganic Chemical Compounds, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 573, ISBN 0-07-049439-8, retrieved 2009-07-20