10112-91-1 Usage
Description
Mercurous chloride, also known as mercury(I) chloride, is an odorless white solid that sinks in water. It is a dense white powder and is insoluble in water, with a very slight solubility of about 2mg/L at 20°C. It forms tetrahedral white crystals and is stable in air but darkens upon exposure to light. It is incompatible with strong bases, carbonates, sulfides, cyanides, alkalis, sulfites, sulfates, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, iodine, and hydrogen bromide.
Uses
Used in Electrochemistry:
Mercurous chloride is used as a component in calomel electrodes, which are essential in various electrochemical applications due to their stable potential.
Used in Ceramic Painting:
It is mixed with gold to create a unique color for painting on porcelain, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of ceramic art.
Used in Pyrotechnics:
Mercurous chloride is utilized in the production of dark green Bengal lights, adding a distinct color to pyrotechnic displays.
Used in Agriculture:
It serves as a fungicide and is used to control root maggots on crops like cabbage and onions, protecting plants from these pests and ensuring a healthy harvest.
Used in Pharmaceutical Industry:
Mercurous chloride is employed in the pharmaceutical industry for its antiseptic and antisyphilitic properties, contributing to the treatment of certain medical conditions.
Used in Laboratory Reagents:
It is used as a laboratory reagent due to its chemical properties, aiding in various experimental procedures and analyses.
Used as a Depolarizer:
Mercurous chloride is used as a depolarizer in dry batteries, improving their performance and efficiency.
Used as a Poison:
Although not a primary application, mercurous chloride has been historically used as a poison due to its toxic nature. However, its use in this context is not recommended due to its hazardous properties.
Preparation
Mercury(I) chloride is prepared by passing a limited amount of chlorine gas over mercury in a heated silica retort. Excess chlorine should be avoided as it can oxidize mercury(I) chloride to mercury(II) chloride.
2Hg + Cl2 → Hg2Cl2
The product generally contains some mercury(II) chloride which is removed by treating the product mixture with water and filtering out the insoluble mercury(I) salt from the soluble mercury(II) salt.
The compound also can be made by heating mercury(II) chloride with mercury. The product Hg2Cl2 sublimes and is collected:
HgCl2 + Hg → Hg2Cl2
Mercury(I) chloride is obtained as a white precipitate by adding a cold acidic solution of sodium chloride or other soluble chloride to a solution of mercurous salt, such as mercury(I) nitrate:
[Hg2]2+ (aq) + 2Clˉ (aq) → Hg2Cl2 (s)
The precipitation method, however, does not form high-purity product as it contains small amounts of reactant and product ions that stick to the Hg2Cl2 precipitate and are difficult to remove by washing with water.
Reactions
Mercury(I) chloride oxidizes to mercury(II) chloride when heated with chlorine:
Hg2Cl2 + Cl2 → 2HgCl2
Mercury(I) chloride is a reducing agent and, therefore, its reaction with oxidizing substances can oxidize it to Hg(II) compounds.
When heated at elevated temperatures, it partially dissociates to mercury metal and mercury(II) chloride:
Hg2Cl2 → Hg + HgCl2
This disproportionation (or breakdown of a compound into two products containing the same element but in different oxidation states) also occurs to some degree when mercury(I) chloride is heated and sublimed in an open container. Reaction with ammonia in solution forms an unstable black adduct which slowly converts to mercury(II) amidochloride, NH2HgCl, releasing mercury:
Hg2Cl2 + 2NH3 → ClHg—HgNH2 + NH4Cl
ClHg—HgNH2 → NH2HgCl + Hg
Toxicity
Mercury(I) chloride is highly toxic by ingestion and other routes of exposure. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and kidney damage.
Production Methods
Mercurous chloride
is produced by exposing mercury metal to limited
amounts of chlorine gas, insufficient to form mercuric chloride
as the major product; it can also be prepared by precipitation
from mercurous nitrate solution.
Reactivity Profile
MERCUROUS CHLORIDE is incompatible with acetylene, ammonia, chlorine dioxide, azides, calcium (amalgam formation), sodium carbide, lithium, rubidium, copper .
Hazard
Toxic dose is uncertain.
Health Hazard
Acute poisoning can result from inhaling dust concentrations of 1.2-8.5 mg/m 3 in air; symptoms include pain and tightness in chest, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. Compound is an irritant, cathartic, or purgat ive; rarely, ``calomel sickness,'' a benign reaction with fever and rash, appears after about 1 week; seldom causes systemic poisoning but may be fatal if retained to 30-40 mg/kg. Contact with eyes causes mild irritation.
Carcinogenicity
An acute oral
dose in humans of 1 g HgCl2 may cause corrosive damage
to the GI tract; there is, however, little quantitative information
on dose–effect relationships during low-level
exposure to inorganic mercury. A dose of 2 g may be
expected to increase mortality greatly among victims of
the poison. Death from acute oral exposure is usually
caused by cardiovascular collapse and renal failure.
Ingestion of inorganic compounds may cause gastrointestinal
corrosion and irritation, such as vomiting, bloody diarrhea,
and stomach pains.
Environmental Fate
Calomel can generate reactive oxygen species and deplete
glutathione levels. Both genotoxic and nongenotoxic mechanisms
may contribute to renal carcinogenic effect of mercury.
Toxicity evaluation
Calomel decomposes gradually in the presence of sunlight.
It slowly decomposes to mercury and mercuric chloride under
aqueous conditions.
Check Digit Verification of cas no
The CAS Registry Mumber 10112-91-1 includes 8 digits separated into 3 groups by hyphens. The first part of the number,starting from the left, has 5 digits, 1,0,1,1 and 2 respectively; the second part has 2 digits, 9 and 1 respectively.
Calculate Digit Verification of CAS Registry Number 10112-91:
(7*1)+(6*0)+(5*1)+(4*1)+(3*2)+(2*9)+(1*1)=41
41 % 10 = 1
So 10112-91-1 is a valid CAS Registry Number.
InChI:InChI=1/2ClH.2Hg/h2*1H;;/q;;2*+1/p-2/rCl2Hg2/c1-3-4-2
