Mercury(II) sulfate

Mercury(II) sulfate

Names
Other names Mercuric sulfate, Mercurypersulfate, Mercury Bisulfate
Identifiers
CAS Number	7783-35-9 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.029.083
PubChem	24544
Properties
Chemical formula	HgSO4
Molar mass	296.653 g/mol
Appearance	white monoclinic crystals
Odor	odorless
Density	6.47 g/cm³, solid
Sublimation conditions	450 °C (dec.)
Solubility in water	Decomposes in water to yellow mercuric subsulfate and sulfuric acid
Solubility	soluble in hot H2SO4, NaCl solution insoluble in alcohol, acetone, ammonia
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−78.1·10−6 cm3/mol
Structure
Crystal structure	rhombic
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfHo298)	−707.5 kJ mol−1
Hazards
NFPA 704	0 3 1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N  (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

Mercury(II) sulfate, commonly called mercuric sulfate, is the chemical compound HgSO₄. It is an odorless solid that forms white granules or crystalline powder. In water, it separates into an insoluble sulfate with a yellow color and sulfuric acid.

In 1932, the Japanese chemical company Chisso Corporation began using mercury sulfate as the catalyst for the production of acetaldehyde from acetylene and water. Though it was unknown at the time, methylmercury is formed as side product of this reaction. Exposure and consumption of the mercury waste products, including methylmercury, that were dumped into Minamata Bay by Chisso are believed to be the cause of Minamata disease in Minamata, Japan.

Mercury sulfate, HgSO₄, can be produced By heating concentrated H₂SO₄ with elemental mercury:

Or by dissolving solid yellow mercuric oxide in concentrated sulfuric acid and water.

An acidic solution of mercury sulfate is known as Denigés' reagent. It was commonly used throughout the 20th century as a qualitative analysis reagent. If Denigés' reagent is added to a solution containing compounds that have tertiary alcohols, a yellow or red precipitate will form.

As previously mentioned, HgSO₄ was used as the catalyst for the production of acetaldehyde from acetylene and water.