Mercury(I) nitrate
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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) | ![]()
3
1
1 OX |
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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Infobox references | |
Mercury(I) nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula Hg2(NO3)2. It was first discovered by Prafulla Chandra Ray[3] 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
- ^ Jump up to: a b Patnaik, Pradyot (2003), Handbook of Inorganic Chemical Compounds, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 573, ISBN 0-07-049439-8, retrieved 2009-07-20
- ^ https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/006/01/0042-0049
- Mercury(I) compounds
- Nitrates
- Inorganic compound stubs