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Selenious acid

Selenous acid
Structural formula
Ball-and-stick model
Names
IUPAC name
Selenous acid
Identifiers
7783-00-8 YesY
3D model (Jmol) Interactive image
ChEBI CHEBI:26642 YesY
ChemSpider 1060 YesY
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.067
KEGG D05814 YesY
PubChem 1091
UNII F6A27P4Q4R YesY
Properties
H2SeO3
Molar mass 128.97 g/mol
Appearance white hygroscopic crystals
Density 3.0 g/cm3
Melting point decomposes at 70°C
very soluble
Solubility soluble in ethanol
Acidity (pKa) 2.46, 7.3
−45.4·10−6 cm3/mol
Related compounds
Other anions
selenic acid
hydrogen selenide
Other cations
sodium selenite
Related compounds
sulfurous acid
tellurous acid
polonous acid
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
YesY  (what is YesYN ?)
Infobox references

Selenous acid (or selenious acid) is the chemical compound with the formula H2SeO3. Structurally, it is more accurately described by (HO)2SeO. It is the principal oxoacid of selenium; the other being selenic acid.

Selenous acid is analogous to sulfurous acid, but it is more readily isolated. Selenous acid is easily formed upon the addition of selenium dioxide to water. As a crystalline solid, the compound can be seen as pyramidal molecules that are interconnected with hydrogen bonds. In solution it is a diprotic acid:

It is moderately oxidizing in nature, but kinetically slow. In 1 M H+
:

In 1 M OH
:

It is used in organic synthesis for the synthesis of 1,2-diketones (e.g. glyoxal).

The major use is in protecting and changing the color of steel, especially steel parts on firearms. The so-called cold-bluing process uses selenous acid, copper(II) nitrate, and nitric acid to change the color of the steel from silver-grey to blue-grey or black. Alternative procedures use copper sulfate and phosphoric acid instead. This process deposits a coating of copper selenide and is fundamentally different from other bluing processes which generate black iron oxide. Some older razor blades were also made of blued steel.


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