Barium acetate

Barium acetate
Powdered Anhydrous Barium Acetate
Names
IUPAC name
Barium acetate
Other names
Barium diacetate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
Abbreviations Ba(OAc)2
ChEBI
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.008.045 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 208-849-0
RTECS number
  • AF4550000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/2C2H4O2.Ba/c21-2(3)4;/h21H3,(H,3,4);/q;;+2/p-2 checkY
    Key: ITHZDDVSAWDQPZ-UHFFFAOYSA-L checkY
  • InChI=1/2C2H4O2.Ba/c21-2(3)4;/h21H3,(H,3,4);/q;;+2/p-2
    Key: ITHZDDVSAWDQPZ-NUQVWONBAA
  • [Ba+2].[O-]C(=O)C.[O-]C(=O)C
Properties
C4H6BaO4
Molar mass 255.415 g·mol−1
Appearance White solid
Odor odorless
Density 2.468 g/cm3 (anhydrous)
2.19 g/cm3 (monohydrate)
Melting point 450 °C (842 °F; 723 K) decomposes
55.8 g/100 mL (0 °C)
72 g/100mL (20 °C)
Solubility slightly soluble in ethanol, methanol
−100.1·10−6 cm3/mol (·2H2O)
Structure
tetragonal
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards
 Toxic, hazardous on ingestion
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
0
0
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
921 mg/kg (oral, rat).
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
X markN verify (what is checkYX markN ?)

Barium acetate is the barium salt of acetic acid, with the chemical formula (CH3COO)2Ba. It is used in chemistry and manufacturing as a soluble source of barium and is toxic to humans.

Preparation

Barium acetate is generally produced by the reaction of acetic acid with barium carbonate:

BaCO3 + 2 CH3COOH → (CH3COO)2Ba + CO2 + H2O

The reaction is performed in solution and the barium acetate crystalizes out at temperatures above 41 °C. Between 25 and 40 °C, the monohydrate version crystalizes. Alternatively, barium sulfide can be used:

BaS + 2 CH3COOH → (CH3COO)2Ba + H2S

Again, the solvent is evaporated off and the barium acetate crystallized.

Properties

Barium acetate is a white powder, which is highly soluble: at 0 °C, 55.8 g of barium acetate can be dissolved in 100 g of water.

Reactions

Barium acetate can be used in metathesis reactions.

When heated in air, barium acetate decomposes to barium carbonate.[citation needed]

Uses

Barium acetate is used as a mordant for printing textile fabrics, for drying paints and varnishes, and in lubricating oil. In chemistry, it is used in the preparation of other acetates, and as a catalyst in organic synthesis.[citation needed]

Barium acetate was featured in a 2001 episode of the television series Forensic Files as well as a 2014 episode of the crime documentary series Redrum and an episode of Deadly Women.

All of which recount the 1993 murder of a man by his teenaged daughter (Marie Robards). Episodes about the Robards do not name the chemical.

References

  1. ↑ , JT Baker
  2. ↑ "Barium acetate". PubChem. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  3. ↑ "Safety Data Sheet: Barium acetate". Sigma-Aldrich. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 Barium acetate Archived June 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, hillakomem.com, retrieved 30 June 2009

Further reading