Mercury(II) nitrate

Mercury(II) nitrate
'monohydrate'
Names
IUPAC names
Mercury dinitrate
Mercury(II) nitrate
Other names
Mercuric nitrate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.030.126 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 233-152-3
RTECS number
  • OW8225000
UNII
UN number 1625
  • InChI=1S/Hg.2NO3/c;2*2-1(3)4/q+2;2*-1 X markN
    Key: ORMNPSYMZOGSSV-UHFFFAOYSA-N X markN
  • InChI=1/Hg.2NO3/c;2*2-1(3)4/q+2;2*-1
    Key: ORMNPSYMZOGSSV-UHFFFAOYAS
  • [N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[Hg+2]
Properties
Hg(NO3)2
Molar mass 324.60 g·mol-1 (anhydrous)
Appearance colorless crystals or white powder
Odor sharp
Density 4.3 g/cm3 (monohydrate)
Melting point 79 °C (174 °F; 352 K) (monohydrate)
soluble
Solubility soluble in nitric acid, acetone, ammonia
insoluble in ethanol
−74.0·10−6 cm3/mol
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS03: OxidizingGHS06: ToxicGHS08: Health hazardGHS09: Environmental hazard
Danger
H272, H300, H310, H330, H373, H410
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 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazard OX: Oxidizer. E.g. potassium perchlorate
3
0
1
OX
Flash point Nonflammable
Safety data sheet (SDS) ICSC 0980
Related compounds
Other anions
 Mercury(II) sulfate
Mercury(II) chloride
Other cations
 Zinc nitrate
Cadmium nitrate
Related compounds
 Mercury(I) nitrate
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 ?)

Mercury(II) nitrate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Hg(NO3)2. It is the mercury(II) salt of nitric acid HNO3. No evidence for any neutral mercury(II) nitrate has been reported. Commonly used and commercially available 'mercury(II) nitrate monohydrate' is actually a basic mercury nitrate with the formula Hg(NO3)OH·nH2O. All mercury(II) nitrate salts are colorless or white soluble crystalline solids that are occasionally used as reagents in organic synthesis.

Synthesis

Hg(NO3)OH is made by treating mercury or mercury(II) oxide with hot concentrated nitric acid. Hydrated analogues can be produced by the recrystallization of Hg(NO3)OH in water.

Neither the neutral anhydrous nor the monohydrate has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

Uses

'Mercury(II) nitrate' is used as an oxidizing agent in organic synthesis, as a nitrification agent, as an analytical reagent in laboratories, in the manufacture of felt, and in the manufacture of mercury fulminate. An alternative qualitative Zeisel test can be done with the use of mercury(II) nitrate instead of silver nitrate, leading to the formation of scarlet red mercury(II) iodide.

Health information

Mercury compounds are highly toxic. The use of this compound by hatters and the subsequent mercury poisoning of said hatters is a common theory of where the phrase "mad as a hatter" came from.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Nolte, Matthias; Pantenburg, Ingo; Meyer, Gerd (2006). "The Monohydrate of Basic Mercuric Nitrate, [Hg(OH)](NO 3 )(H 2 O)". Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie. 632 (1): 111–113. doi:10.1002/zaac.200500344. ISSN 0044-2313.
  2. ↑ Kočovský, Pavel (2001). "Mercury(II) Nitrate". Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. John Wiley & Sons. doi:10.1002/047084289X.rm037.
  3. 1 2 Nolte, M.; Pantenburg, I.; Meyer, G. (9 December 2005). "The Monohydrate of Basic Mercuric Nitrate, [Hg(OH)](NO3)(H2O)". Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie (in German). 632 (1). Wiley Publishing: 111–113. doi:10.1002/zaac.200500344. ISSN 0044-2313. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  4. ↑ Ribár, B.; Matković, B.; Šljukić, M.; Gabela, F. (1971). "Die Kristallstruktur von Hg(OH)NO3". Zeitschrift für Kristallographie (in German). 134 (1–6): 311–318. doi:10.1524/zkri.1971.134.16.311.
  5. ↑ Bernstein, Richard B.; Pars, Harry G.; Blumenthal, Doris C. (1957). "O 18 Study of the Reaction of Hydroxide with Mercury(II) Nitrate. Characterization of Basic Nitrates of Mercury(II)". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 79 (7): 1579–1584. doi:10.1021/ja01564a015. ISSN 0002-7863.
  6. ↑ Ferraro, John R.; Gibson, George (1953). "Reaction of Some Metallic Oxides with Liquid Dinitrogen Tetroxide. Oxides of the First and Second Periodic Groups and Lead 1". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 75 (22): 5747–5748. doi:10.1021/ja01118a516. ISSN 0002-7863.
  7. ↑ "Mercury nitrate monohydrate". Chemical Book. 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  8. ↑ Wang, Zerong (2010). "Zeisel Determination". Comprehensive Organic Name Reactions and Reagents. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 3115–3118. doi:10.1002/9780470638859.conrr689. ISBN 9780470638859.