Mercury(I) iodide

Yellow powder

Fixed

7.7 g · cm -3

140 ° C

290 ° C

Insoluble in water, ethanol and ether

Risk

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Mercury (I ) iodide is a chemical compound is one of the mercury halides. It is light sensitive and decomposes easily to mercury and mercury (II ) iodide.

Occurrence

Mercury (I ) iodide occurs naturally as the mineral Moschelit.

Production and representation

Mercury (I ) iodide can be shown directly from the elements mercury and iodine:

It is produced by precipitation from a dilute mercury (I ) nitrate solution with iodide ions. An excess of iodide is to be avoided, because the mercury ( I) iodide to be a 1:1 mixture of elemental mercury and Tetraiodomercurat (II) disproportionates, known as the Nessler reagent.

Use

Mercury (I ) iodide was previously used as a medicament, but, due to the high toxicity of the substance is nowadays no longer the case.