Mercury(II) oxide
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IUPAC name
Mercury(II) oxide
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Other names | |
Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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ChemSpider | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.040.580 |
KEGG | |
PubChemCID
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RTECS number |
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UNII | |
UN number | 1641 |
CompTox Dashboard(EPA)
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Properties | |
HgO | |
Molar mass | 216.591g·mol−1 |
Appearance | Yellow or red solid |
Odor | odorless |
Density | 11.14 g/cm3 |
Melting point | 500 °C (932 °F; 773 K) (decomposes) |
0.0053 g/100 mL (25 °C) 0.0395 g/100 mL (100 °C) | |
Solubility | insoluble inalcohol,ether,acetone,ammonia |
Band gap | 2.2 eV[1] |
−44.0·10−6cm3/mol | |
Refractive index(nD)
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2.5 (550 nm)[1] |
Thermochemistry | |
Std molar
entropy(S⦵298) |
70 J·mol−1·K−1[2] |
Std enthalpy of
formation(ΔfH⦵298) |
−90 kJ·mol−1[2] |
Hazards | |
Occupational safety and health(OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards
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Extremely toxic, environmental pollutant |
GHSlabelling:[4] | |
Danger | |
H300+H310+H330,H372,H410 | |
P260,P262,P264,P270,P271,P273,P280,P284,P301+P316,P302+P352,P304+P340,P316,P320,P321,P330,P361+P364,P391,P403+P233,P405,P501 | |
NFPA 704(fire diamond) | |
Flash point | Non-flammable |
Lethal doseor concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50(median dose)
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18 mg/kg (oral, rat)[3] |
Safety data sheet(SDS) | ICSC 0981 |
Related compounds | |
Otheranions
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Mercury sulfide Mercury selenide Mercury telluride |
Othercations
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Zinc oxide Cadmium oxide |
Related compounds
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Mercury(I) oxide |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state(at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Mercury(II) oxide,also calledmercuric oxideor simplymercury oxide,is theinorganic compoundwith the formulaHgO.It has a red or orange color. Mercury(II) oxide is a solid at room temperature and pressure. The mineral formmontroyditeis very rarely found.
History
[edit]An experiment for the preparation of mercuric oxide was first described by 11th century Arab-Spanish alchemist,Maslama al-Majriti,inRutbat al-hakim.[6]It was historically calledred precipitate(as opposed towhite precepitatebeing themercuric amidochloride).
In 1774,Joseph Priestleydiscovered that oxygen was released by heating mercuric oxide, although he did not identify the gas asoxygen(rather, Priestley called it "dephlogisticatedair, "as that was theparadigmthat he was working under at the time).[7]
Synthesis and reactions
[edit]The red form of HgO can be made by heating Hg in oxygen at roughly 350 °C, or bypyrolysisofHg(NO3)2.[8]The yellow form can be obtained by precipitation of aqueous Hg2+with alkali.[8]The difference in color is due to particle size; both forms have the same structure consisting of near linear O-Hg-O units linked in zigzag chains with an Hg-O-Hg angle of 108°.[8]
It is sometimes said that HgO "is soluble in acids",[9]but in fact it reacts with acids to make mercuric salts.
Structure
[edit]Under atmospheric pressure mercuric oxide has two crystalline forms: one is called montroydite (orthorhombic,2/m 2/m 2/m, Pnma), and the second is analogous to the sulfide mineralcinnabar(hexagonal, hP6, P3221); both are characterized by Hg-O chains.[10]At pressures above 10 GPa both structures convert to atetragonalform.[1]
Uses
[edit]Mercury oxide is sometimes used in the production of mercury as it decomposes quite easily. When it decomposes, oxygen gas is generated.[citation needed]
It is also used as a material forcathodesinmercury batteries.[11]
Health issues
[edit]Mercury oxide is a highly toxic substance which can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol, through the skin and by ingestion. The substance is irritating to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract and may have effects on the kidneys, resulting in kidney impairment. In the food chain important to humans,bioaccumulationtakes place, specifically in aquatic organisms. The substance is banned as a pesticide in theEU.[12]
Evaporation at 20 °C is negligible. HgO decomposes on exposure to light or on heating above 500 °C. Heating produces highly toxic mercury fumes and oxygen, which increases the fire hazard. Mercury(II) oxide reacts violently with reducing agents, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, magnesium (when heated), disulfur dichloride and hydrogen trisulfide. Shock-sensitive compounds are formed with metals and elements such as sulfur and phosphorus.[13]
References
[edit]- ^abcMadelung, O; Rössler, U; Schulz, M, eds. (1999). "Mercury oxide (HgO) crystal structure, physical properties".Semiconductors · II-VI and I-VII Compounds; Semimagnetic Compounds.Landolt-Börnstein - Group III Condensed Matter. Vol. 41B. Springer-Verlag. pp. 1–7.doi:10.1007/b71137.ISBN978-3-540-64964-9.
- ^abZumdahl, Steven S. (2009).Chemical Principles 6th Ed.Houghton Mifflin Company. p. A22.ISBN978-0-618-94690-7.
- ^"Mercuric oxide [ISO]".ChemIDPlus Advanced.United States National Library of Medicine.CAS RN: 21908-53-2.Retrieved2022-04-14.
- ^"Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary (LCSS): Mercuric oxide".PubChem.National Center for Biotechnology Information.CID 30856.Retrieved2022-04-14.
- ^"Safety Data Sheet: Mercury(II) oxide"(PDF).Thermo Fisher Scientific.2021-12-25. Cat No. AC316790000.Retrieved2022-04-13.
- ^Holmyard, E. J. (1931).Inorganic chemistry.Рипол Классик.ISBN978-5-87636-953-6.
- ^Almqvist, Ebbe (2003).History of Industrial Gases.Springer. p. 23.ISBN978-0-306-47277-0.
- ^abcGreenwood, Norman N.;Earnshaw, Alan (1997).Chemistry of the Elements(2nd ed.).Butterworth-Heinemann.ISBN978-0-08-037941-8.
- ^"Characteristic Reactions of Mercury Ions (Hg²⁺ and Hg₂²⁺)".LibreTextsChemistry.Retrieved23 July2024.
- ^Aurivillius, Karin; Carlsson, Inga-Britt; Pedersen, Christian; Hartiala, K.; Veige, S.; Diczfalusy, E. (1958)."The Structure of Hexagonal Mercury(II)oxide".Acta Chemica Scandinavica.12:1297–1304.doi:10.3891/acta.chem.scand.12-1297.RetrievedNovember 17,2010.
- ^Moore, John W.; Conrad L. Stanitski; Peter C. Jurs (2005).Chemistry: The Molecular Science.Thomson Brooks/Cole. p.941.ISBN978-0-534-42201-1.
Mercury(II) oxide anode mercury battery.
- ^Chemicals Regulation Directorate."Banned and Non-Authorised Pesticides in the United Kingdom".Retrieved1 December2009.
- ^"Mercury (II) oxide".International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre.Retrieved2009-06-06.