Mercury(II)_nitrate
Mercury(II) nitrate
Chemical compound
Mercury(II) nitrate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Hg(NO3)2. It is the mercury(II) salt of nitric acid HNO3. It contains mercury(II) cations Hg2+ and nitrate anions NO−3, and water of crystallization H2O in the case of a hydrous salt. Mercury(II) nitrate forms hydrates Hg(NO3)2·xH2O. Anhydrous and hydrous salts are colorless or white soluble crystalline solids that are occasionally used as a reagents. Mercury(II) nitrate is made by treating mercury with hot concentrated nitric acid. Neither anhydrous nor monohydrate has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography.[1] The anhydrous material is more widely used.[clarification needed]