Potassium chromate

Not to be confused with Potassium dichromate.

Potassium chromate

Names
IUPAC name Potassium chromate
Other names Potassium dichromate, Chromic acid, (K2CrO4), dipotassium salt
Identifiers
CAS Number	7789-00-6  Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:75249  N
ChemSpider	22999  N
ECHA InfoCard	100.029.218
EC Number	232-140-5
PubChem CID	24597
RTECS number	GB2940000
UNII	5P0R38CN2X  Y
UN number	3077
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID8064858
InChI InChI=1S/Cr.2K.4O/q;2*+1;;;2*-1 N Key: XMXNVYPJWBTAHN-UHFFFAOYSA-N N InChI=K2CrO4 Key: XMXNVYPJWBTAHN-QALQIXLOAU
SMILES [O-][Cr](=O)(=O)[O-].[K+].[K+]
Properties
Chemical formula	K2CrO4
Molar mass	194.189 g·mol−1
Appearance	Yellow powder
Odor	odorless
Density	2.7320 g/cm3
Melting point	968 °C (1,774 °F; 1,241 K)
Boiling point	1,000 °C (1,830 °F; 1,270 K)
Solubility in water	63.7 g/100 mL (20 °C (68 °F; 293 K)) 75.1 g/100 mL (80 °C (176 °F; 353 K)) 79.2 g/100 mL (100 °C (212 °F; 373 K))
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	3.9×10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD)	1.74
Structure
Crystal structure	rhombic
Hazards
GHS labelling: [1]
Pictograms
Signal word	Danger
Hazard statements	H315, H317, H319, H335, H340, H350, H410
Precautionary statements	P201, P202, P261, P264, P271, P272, P273, P280, P302+P352, P304+P340+P312, P305+P351+P338, P308+P313, P333+P313, P337+P313, P362, P391, P403+P233, P405, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	[2] 2 0 0
Safety data sheet (SDS)	Fisher Scientific [2]
Related compounds
Other anions	Potassium dichromate
Other cations	Sodium chromate Calcium chromate Barium chromate
Related chromates	Potassium hypochromate Potassium perchromate
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

Potassium chromate is the inorganic compound with the formula K₂CrO₄. This yellow solid is the potassium salt of the chromate anion. It is a common laboratory chemical, whereas sodium chromate is important industrially.

Production and reactions

It is prepared by treating potassium dichromate with potassium hydroxide:

K₂Cr₂O₇(aq) + 2 KOH → 2 K₂CrO₄ + H₂O

Or, the fusion of potassium hydroxide and chromium trioxide:

2 KOH + CrO₃ → K₂CrO₄ + H₂O

When treated with lead(II) nitrate, it gives an orange-yellow precipitate, lead(II) chromate.

Applications

Unlike the less expensive sodium salt, the potassium salt is mainly used for laboratory work in situations where an anhydrous salt is required, or as an oxidizing agent in organic synthesis. ^[3]

It is used in qualitative inorganic analysis, e.g. as a colorimetric test for silver ion. It is also used as an indicator in precipitation titrations with silver nitrate and sodium chloride (they can be used as standard as well as titrant for each other) as potassium chromate turns red in the presence of excess of silver ions.^{[ citation needed ]}

Structure

Two crystalline forms are known, both being very similar to the corresponding potassium sulfate. Orthorhombic β-K₂CrO₄ is the common form, but it converts to an α-form above 666 °C (1,231 °F). ^[3] These structures are complex, although the chromate ion adopts the typical tetrahedral geometry. ^{[4] [ better source needed ]}

• 
  Structure of β-K₂CrO₄
• 
  Coordination sphere of one of two types of K⁺ site
• 
  The environment about the tetrahedral CrO2−4 center in β-K₂CrO₄

Safety

As with other Cr(VI) compounds, potassium chromate is carcinogenic. Positive associations with lung cancer at a very high rate, and nasal / sinus cancer at a 100x lower rate have been found using worker exposure data. In general, less soluble chromates are a larger chronic hazard as they can be encapsulated in the lung without being absorbed and excreted, giving more time for reactive intermediates to be produced. Animal data indicates a potential for impaired fertility, heritable genetic damage and harm to unborn children, along with other types of cancer via less common exposure routes. ^[5]

As a highly soluble hexavalent chromium compound, potassium chromate is also acutely toxic, though it is poorly absorbed from the intestinal tract. ^[5] The compound is also corrosive and exposure may produce severe eye damage or blindness. ^[2]

References

1. Sigma-Aldrich Co., Potassium chromate.
2. "SDS - Potassium Chromate". fishersci.com. Thermo Fisher Scientific. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
3. Anger, Gerd; Halstenberg, Jost; Hochgeschwender, Klaus; Ulrich Korallus, Christoph Scherhag; Knopf, Herbert; Schmidt, Peter; Ohlinger, Manfred. "Chromium Compounds". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry . Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a07_067. ISBN   978-3-527-30673-2.
4. Gaultier, M.; Pannetier, G. "Structure cristalline de la forme 'basse temperature' du sulfate de potassium K₂SO₄-beta" (Crystal structure of the "low temperature" β-form of potassium sulfate) Bulletin de la Société Chimique de France 1968, vol. 1, pp. 105-12.
5. Volume 100C: Arsenic, Metals, Fibres, and Dusts (PDF). Lyon, France: World Health Organization - International Agency for Research on Cancer. 2012 [17–24 March 2009]. pp. 153–64. ISBN   978-92-832-0135-9 . Retrieved 2020-01-05.