|   | |
| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name Mercury(I) nitrate | |
| Other names Mercurous nitrate | |
| Identifiers | |
| 
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| 3D model (JSmol) | 
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| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.202.814 | 
| EC Number | 
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|  PubChem CID | 
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| UNII | 
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| UN number | 1627 | 
|  CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | 
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| 
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| 
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| Properties | |
| 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) | 
| slightly soluble, reacts | |
| −27.95·10−6 cm3/mol | |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling: [2] | |
|       | |
| Danger | |
| H300, H310, H330, H373, H410 | |
| P260, P262, P264, P270, P271, P273, P280, P284, P301+P316, P302+P352, P304+P340, P316, P319, P320, P321, P330, P361+P364, P391, P403+P233, P405, P501 | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| 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). | |
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. [3]
It was first mentioned by Indian chemist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray in 1896. [4]
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 ]
Solutions of mercury(I) nitrate are acidic due to slow reaction with water:
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: [5]
These reactions are reversible; the nitric acid formed can redissolve the basic salt.[ citation needed ]