Silver nitrate, ACS, 99.9+% (metals basis)
MDL
MFCD00003414
EINECS
231-853-9
Chemical Properties
Formula
AgNO3
Formula Weight
169.87
Form
Crystalline
Melting point
212°
Density
4.352
Storage & Sensitivity
Light Sensitive. Ambient temperatures.
Solubility
Freely soluble in water, alcohol and aqueous ammonia. Slightly soluble in ether.
Grade Specifications
Maximum level of impurities: Clarity of solution P.T., Cl 5ppm, Free acid P.T., Substances not precipitated by hydrochloric acid 0.01%, SO4 0.002%, Cu 2ppm, Fe 2ppm, Pb 0.001%
Applications
Silver nitrate is employed in Silver plating, photography, manufacturing of other silver compounds, mirrors, coloring porcelain, and staining in histology. It finds use as a stain in scanning electron microscopy, and a key ingredient in several silver-based antiseptic and antibacterial pharmaceutical compositions. Silver(I) nitrate is used to separate mixtures of alkenes by selective absorption, and for deprotection and oxidation reactions in organic synthesis. It is widely used as an analytical reagent owing to its immediate reaction with halide ions forming insoluble precipitate of silver(I) halides.
Notes
Sensitive to light; hence store in light resistant containers. Corrosive solid. Relatively more stable to light than other salts. Color changes to grey or greyish black on exposure to light or air in the presence of organic matter.
Literature References
Forms complexes with alkenes, used in the separation of mixtures; see, e.g.: Org. Synth. Coll., 5, 315 (1973).
Promotes the reactivity of NCS in the cleavage of 2-acylated 1,3-dithianes: Synthesis, 17 (1969), and of NBS in the 1-bromination of terminal alkynes: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 23, 727 (1984).
In combination with Br2 or I2 in refluxing methanol, brings about the rearrangement of acetophenones to methyl arylacetates, a reaction previously induced by thallium(III) nitrate: J. Chem. Soc., Perkin 1, 235 (1982):
The Hunsdiecker reaction of Ag salts of carboxylic acids with Br2 provides alkyl bromides with one less carbon atom which is lost as CO2; see, e.g.: Org. Synth. Coll., 3, 578 (1955). Reviews: Chem. Rev., 56, 219 (1956); Org. React., 9, 332 (1957). Compare also Mercury(II) oxide, A16157.