Mercury(I) nitrate

Mercury(I) nitrate is an inorganic compound, a salt of mercury and nitric acid with the formula Hg2(NO3)2. A yellow solid, the compound is used as a precursor to other Hg22+ complexes. The structure of the hydrate has been determined by X-ray crystallography. It consists of a [H2O-Hg-Hg-OH2]2+ center, with a Hg-Hg distance of 254 pm.[2]

Mercury(I) nitrate[1]
Names
IUPAC name
Mercury(I) nitrate
Other names
Mercurous nitrate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ECHA InfoCard 100.202.814
EC Number
  • 233-886-4
UNII
  • InChI=1S/Hg.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1
    Key: DRXYRSRECMWYAV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • [N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[Hg+]
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)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamond
3
1
1
OX
Related compounds
Other anions
 Mercury(I) fluoride
Mercury(I) chloride
Mercury(I) bromide
Mercury(I) iodide
Other cations
 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

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 reacts with elemental mercury to form mercurous nitrate.

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:[3]

Hg2(NO3)2 ⇌ Hg + Hg(NO3)2

These reactions are reversible; the nitric acid formed can redissolve the basic salt.

References
  1. Lide, David R. (1998), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87 ed.), Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, pp. 4–45, ISBN 0-8493-0594-2
  2. D. Grdenić (1956). "The crystal Structure of Mercurous Nitrate Dihydrate". Journal of the Chemical Society: 1312. doi:10.1039/jr9560001312.
  3. Patnaik, Pradyot (2003), Handbook of Inorganic Chemical Compounds, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 573, ISBN 0-07-049439-8, retrieved 2009-07-20


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