Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Mercury(I) nitrate

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Molar mass
  
525.19 g/mol

Appearance
  
white monoclinic crystals (anhydrous); colorless crystals (dihydrate)

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:

Hg2(NO3)2 → Hg + Hg(NO3)2

References

Mercury(I) nitrate Wikipedia
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