Mercury (II) sulphate

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Structural formula
Mercury ion Sulfate ion
General
Surname Mercury (II) sulphate
other names
  • Mercury sulfate
  • Sulfuric acid mercury
Molecular formula HgSO 4
Brief description

white solid

External identifiers / databases
CAS number 7783-35-9
EC number 231-992-5
ECHA InfoCard 100,029,083
PubChem 16685312
Wikidata Q261261
properties
Molar mass 296.68 g mol −1
Physical state

firmly

density

6.47 g cm −3

Melting point

Decomposes at 450  ° C

solubility

Decomposes in water

safety instructions
GHS hazard labeling from  Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 (CLP) , expanded if necessary
06 - Toxic or very toxic 08 - Dangerous to health 09 - Dangerous for the environment

danger

H and P phrases H: 300 + 310 + 330-373-410
P: 280-273-302 + 352-304 + 340-309 + 310
MAK

0.1 mg m −3

As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions .

Mercury (II) sulfate is a chemical compound of the heavy metal mercury with the empirical formula HgSO 4 . When heated to around 450 ° C or when exposed to high-energy light, the substance decomposes and forms elemental mercury and sulfur oxides . Like the compound itself, these are extremely toxic and should not be inhaled.

Extraction and presentation

Mercury (II) sulfate can be made from mercury and concentrated sulfuric acid.

It can only be crystallized from a sulfuric acid solution, as poorly soluble basic mercury sulfate HgSO 4 · 2 HgO is formed in aqueous solution . This is a light yellow powder that decomposes in light and was previously used in pharmacy.

In a little water or in a solution slightly acidified with sulfuric acid, it forms a monohydrate of HgSO 4 · H 2 O.

properties

Mercury (II) sulfate is a white, non-flammable powder. At its decomposition temperature of 450 ° C it glows and breaks down into mercury , sulfur dioxide and, to a lesser extent, sulfur trioxide . With alkali sulfates it forms double or complex salts, e.g. B .: K 2 SO 4 · 3 HgSO 4 · 2 H 2 O. It crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure with the space group Pn 2 1 m (space group No. 31, position 5) and the lattice parameters a = 4.778 Å , b = 4.812 Å and c = 6.572 Å. Template: room group / 31.5

use

Mercury (II) sulfate is used as a catalyst in the production of acetaldehyde from ethyne and water . This creates methyl mercury as a by-product.

safety instructions

Mercury (II) sulfate is a poisonous substance for both animals and humans. Mercury sulphate is an environmental toxin and must not be disposed of in the normal way, as it is a particular threat to waters and their inhabitants.

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e f g Entry on mercury (II) sulfate in the GESTIS substance database of the IFA , accessed on February 1, 2016(JavaScript required) .
  2. Not explicitly listed in Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 (CLP) , but with the specified labeling falls under the group entry inorganic compounds of mercury with the exception of mercuric sulphide and those specified elsewhere in this Annex in the Classification and Labeling Inventory of European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), accessed on February 1, 2016. Manufacturers or distributors can expand the harmonized classification and labeling .
  3. Erwin Riedel; Inorganic Chemistry, p. 750
  4. a b Heinrich Remy: Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry Volume II, pages 640–641, Leipzig 1973, Academic Publishing Company Geest & Portig K.-G.
  5. K. Aurivillius, C. Stålhandske: Reinvestigation of the crystal structures of HgSO 4 and CdSO 4 . In: Zeitschrift für Kristallographie , 153, 1980, pp. 121-129, doi: 10.1524 / zkri.1980.153.14.121 .