Mercury(I) nitrate

Mercury(I) nitrate^[1][2]

Names
IUPAC name Mercury(I) nitrate
Other names Mercurous nitrate
Identifiers
CAS Number	10415-75-5 (anhydrous) 7782-86-7 (dihydrate)
ECHA InfoCard	100.166.349
PubChem	25247
UNII	J78005WL7R
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/cm^3 (anhydrous) 4.8 g/cm^3 (dihydrate)
Melting point	? (anhydrous) decomposes at 70 °C (dihydrate)
Solubility in water	slightly soluble, reacts
Hazards
NFPA 704	1 3 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

Mercury(I) nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula Hg₂(NO₃)₂. It is used in the preparation of other mercury(I) compounds, and, like all other mercury compounds, it 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.

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

References

1. Lide, David R. (1998), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87 ed.), Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, pp. 4–45, ISBN 0-8493-0594-2
2. Patnaik, Pradyot (2003), Handbook of Inorganic Chemical Compounds, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 573, ISBN 0-07-049439-8, retrieved 2009-07-20

Salts and covalent derivatives of the Nitrate ion
HNO3																	He
LiNO3	Be(NO3)2											B(NO3)4^−	C	N	O	FNO3	Ne
NaNO3	Mg(NO3)2											Al(NO3)3	Si	P	S	ClONO2	Ar
KNO3	Ca(NO3)2	Sc(NO3)3	Ti(NO3)4	VO(NO3)3	Cr(NO3)3	Mn(NO3)2	Fe(NO3)3	Co(NO3)2, Co(NO3)3	Ni(NO3)2	Cu(NO3)2	Zn(NO3)2	Ga(NO3)3	Ge	As	Se	Br	Kr
RbNO3	Sr(NO3)2	Y	Zr(NO3)4	Nb	Mo	Tc	Ru	Rh	Pd(NO3)2	AgNO3	Cd(NO3)2	In	Sn	Sb	Te	I	Xe(NO3)2
CsNO3	Ba(NO3)2		Hf	Ta	W	Re	Os	Ir	Pt	Au	Hg2(NO3)2, Hg(NO3)2	Tl(NO3)3	Pb(NO3)2	Bi(NO3)3 BiO(NO3)	Po	At	Rn
Fr	Ra		Rf	Db	Sg	Bh	Hs	Mt	Ds	Rg	Cn	Nh	Fl	Mc	Lv	Ts	Og
		↓
		La	Ce(NO3)3, Ce(NO3)4	Pr	Nd	Pm	Sm	Eu	Gd(NO3)3	Tb	Dy	Ho	Er	Tm	Yb	Lu
		Ac	Th	Pa	UO2(NO3)2	Np	Pu	Am	Cm	Bk	Cf	Es	Fm	Md	No	Lr