Mercury(I) nitrate

Mercury(I) nitrate^[1]
Names
	IUPAC name Mercury(I) nitrate
	Other names Mercurous nitrate
Identifiers
CAS Number	10415-75-5 (anhydrous) ; 14836-60-3 (dihydrate) ;
3D model (JSmol)	anhydrous: Interactive image; dihydrate: Interactive image;
ECHA InfoCard	100.202.814
EC Number	233-886-4;
PubChem CID	25247;
UNII	J78005WL7R (anhydrous) ; Z92K1EV5HQ (dihydrate) ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID30163975 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/Hg.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1 Key: DRXYRSRECMWYAV-UHFFFAOYSA-N;
	SMILES anhydrous: [N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[Hg+][Hg+].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-]; dihydrate: [N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[OH2+][Hg][Hg][OH2+].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-];
Properties
Chemical formula	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)
Solubility in water	slightly soluble, reacts
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−27.95·10−6 cm3/mol
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire 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). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

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]

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 (II) nitrate reacts with elemental mercury (0) to form mercurous (I) nitrate (comproportionation reaction):^{[citation needed]}

Hg(NO₃)₂ + Hg ⇌ Hg₂(NO₃)₂

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.^{[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
^ D. Grdenić (1956). "The crystal Structure of Mercurous Nitrate Dihydrate". Journal of the Chemical Society: 1312–1316. doi:10.1039/jr9560001312.
^ 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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[hand-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: 1312–1316. doi:10.1039/jr9560001312.

[patniak-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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