Mercury(II) nitrate

Mercury(II) nitrate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Hg(NO₃)₂. It is the mercury(II) salt of nitric acid HNO₃. It contains mercury(II) cations Hg²⁺ and nitrate anions NO−3, and water of crystallization H₂O in the case of a hydrous salt. Mercury(II) nitrate forms hydrates Hg(NO₃)₂·xH₂O. Anhydrous and hydrous salts are colorless or white soluble crystalline solids that are occasionally used as a reagents. Mercury(II) nitrate is made by treating mercury with hot concentrated nitric acid. Neither anhydrous nor monohydrate has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography.^[1] The anhydrous material is more widely used.^{[clarification needed]}

Mercury(II) nitrate

Names
IUPAC names Mercury dinitrate Mercury(II) nitrate
Other names Mercuric nitrate
Identifiers
CAS Number	10045-94-0 Y 7783-34-8 (monohydrate) N
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	23247 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.030.126
EC Number	233-152-3
PubChem CID	16683796
RTECS number	OW8225000
UNII	2FMV9338BW N
UN number	1625
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID9044162
InChI InChI=1S/Hg.2NO3/c;2*2-1(3)4/q+2;2*-1 N Key: ORMNPSYMZOGSSV-UHFFFAOYSA-N N InChI=1/Hg.2NO3/c;2*2-1(3)4/q+2;2*-1 Key: ORMNPSYMZOGSSV-UHFFFAOYAS
SMILES [N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[Hg+2]
Properties
Chemical formula	Hg(NO3)2
Molar mass	324.60 g/mol (anhydrous)
Appearance	colorless crystals or white powder
Odor	sharp
Density	4.3 g/cm3 (monohydrate)
Melting point	79 °C (174 °F; 352 K) (monohydrate)
Solubility in water	soluble
Solubility	soluble in nitric acid, acetone, ammonia insoluble in ethanol
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−74.0·10−6 cm3/mol
Hazards
GHS labelling:
Pictograms
Signal word	Danger
Hazard statements	H272, H300, H310, H330, H373, H410
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	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). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

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.^[2] 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.^[3]

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

• Mercury
• The Hatter
• Mercury poisoning
• Gilding