Corrosive sublimate crystallises in white needles or in a semi-vitreous mass. It has an acrid, peculiarly metallic taste that is very unpleasant. It is soluble in three parts of boiling, and eighteen to twenty of cold water. Hot alcohol dissolves its own weight of this salt, and cold alcohol one-third of its weight ; ether also readily dissolves it : indeed, agitation with ether will abstract corrosive sublimate from an aqueous volution.
DribLr salts of bichloride of mercury with alkaline chloride* readily crystallise out when solution containing them is evaporated. Si/ *kasbroth is such *double salt containing (ligel +3N11,C1). It orystal lima in eat tables.
111are precipitate (11gC1,+ BONITO is thrown down when ammonia is added to a *elution of corrosive sublimate.
Mercuric o.ryeAlorid-s, two, throe, or four equivalents of binexide to one of bichloride, are precipitated when bicarbonate of potash and bichloride of mercury are brought together under various conditions.
and Cynuoycn form only one salt, vit.: Bieranide of mercury (lig Cy,). Mercnric eyanide. Usually made by boiling bisulphate of mercury with half its weight of ferrocianide of petamium and four times its weight of water. It crystallises out in white needles on cooling the solution. It may also bo made by dis solving binoxide of mercury in hydrocyanic acid, or by boiling Prussian blue with binoxido of mercury.
Bicyanide of mercury is soluble in alcohol and in eight parts of cold water ; but in a much smaller quantity of boiling water. Its solution is very poisonous, and is neither precipitated by alkalies nor by any metallic salts, except those of palladium. By heat it is converted into metallic mercury and cyanogen gas.
There are two sulphates of mercury 1. Protosalpeate of mercury . . . Rico. SO, 2. Bisulphate of mercury . . . 2:i0.
1. Protoodphate of mercury (110, S0,1. Sub- or di-sulphate of mer cury. hlereurous smlpiurfe. Formed on triturating bisulphate of mer cury with as much mercury as it already contains. It is but slightly soluble in water.
2. Bisulphate of mercury 2S0,). Perntlphate of Mere/try. Mercuric sulphate. A mixture of two parts of mercury and three of sulphuric acid is boiled to dryness, when a white crystalline powder remains of the above composition. Water decomposes it into an acid salt (Hg0,. 6S0,) that remains in Solution, and a yellow basic salt (31Ig0, 2S0,), called tarpeth minced!, which is precipitated.
There are many nitrates of mercery. The two most important i. Protonitrate of mercury . . 110, NO, 2. Bluttrare of mereury . . . 11g0., 2N0.
1. Protonitrate of mercury (11g0, NO, + 2Aq.). Sub- er di-nitrate of msreers. 4/erceresu sit rote. Formed by digesting metallic mercury in excess of cold dilute nitric acid. It crystallises in transparent prisms. Water decomposes it into a yellow, basic, insoluble salt, and an acid soluble malt. If excess of mercury is used in the preparation, crystals are obtained containing (4 lig0, 3 NO, + 2Aq ).
2 Binitrate of mercury (Hg0,, 2 NO, + Aq.). Pernitrate of mercury. Mercnric nitrate. Beat obtained by dissolving binoxide of mercury in nitric acid. It may also bo made by dissolving mercury in boiling nitric mid, but it has not then a constant composition.
CA remote, of mercury. An alkaline chromate throws down a bright reel precipitate from a solution of a mercurous salts It contains 4 lig0, 3 Cr0,. Heated with nitric acid, it Is converted into 40, dfercerie chromate is also a red powder precipitated when an alkaline ohromate in added to a solution of a mercuric salt.
Palatinate of Increrry. (Feromoorteo MERe1711T.) Acetates of mercury. There are two : I. Protosectote of mercury . . . 140, C,11.0, 2. Blcscrerzte of mercury . . . . 110., 2C.II.O, 1. Protaacrtate of mermry (1}g0, Sete- or din-acetate of mercury. siterrenms acetate. Precipitated in micaceous steles, when a soluble acetate is added to strong solution of a mercurous salt. it is Insoluble in 'alcohol, and decomposed by heats 2. Prnoslote of mercury ( I 1g0,. 2 C,I I ,0,). Peraeetate of mercury. Afercerie acetate. Made by dissolving binoxide of mercury in excess of hot acetic mid, or by mixing hot solutions of acetate of potosh and Unit-rate of mercury, a little acetic acid being also oldest. it cry*. tallisee in white. inodorom, flexible scales.
.WeacAramise is the provisional name given to a very powerful base, produced on agitating precipitated binoxide of mercury with solution of ammonia in w ell stoppered bottle. It contains 2 I NH,. 2110, sad may be viewed as the hydrated oxide of 11g0 Hes /1,. It 11 White powder, very unstable. decomposing when exposed to light, or with series of alight explosions when triturated in a mortar. It absorbs carbonic acid from the air rie quickly as slaked lime does, and farms definite salts with acids.