Barium acetate

Barium acetate^[1]

Names
IUPAC name Barium acetate
Other names Barium diacetate
Identifiers
Abbreviations	Ba(OAc)2
CAS Registry Number	543-80-6 Y
ChemSpider	10515 Y
EC number	208-849-0
InChI InChI=1S/2C2H4O2.Ba/c2*1-2(3)4;/h2*1H3,(H,3,4);/q;;+2/p-2 Y Key: ITHZDDVSAWDQPZ-UHFFFAOYSA-L Y InChI=1/2C2H4O2.Ba/c2*1-2(3)4;/h2*1H3,(H,3,4);/q;;+2/p-2 Key: ITHZDDVSAWDQPZ-NUQVWONBAA
Jmol-3D images	Image
PubChem	10980
RTECS number	AF4550000
SMILES [Ba+2].[O-]C(=O)C.[O-]C(=O)C
UNII	FBA31YJ60R Y
Properties
Molecular formula	C4H6BaO4
Molar mass	255.42 g·mol−1
Appearance	White solid
Odor	odorless
Density	2.468 g/cm3 (anhydrous) 2.19 g/cm3 (monohydrate)
Melting point	725 °C (1,337 °F; 998 K)
Solubility in water	55.8 g/100 mL (0 °C) 72 g/100mL (20 °C)
Solubility	slightly soluble in ethanol
Structure
Crystal structure	tetragonal
Hazards
Main hazards	Hazardous on ingestion
LD50 (Median lethal dose)	921 mg/kg (oral, rat)
Except where noted otherwise, data is given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa)
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Infobox references

Barium acetate (Ba(C₂H₃O₂)₂) is the salt of barium(II) and acetic acid.

Preparation

Barium acetate is generally produced by the reaction of acetic acid with barium carbonate:^[2]

BaCO₃ + 2 CH₃COOH → (CH₃COO)₂Ba + CO₂ + H₂O

The reaction is performed in solution and the barium acetate crystallizes out. Alternatively, barium sulfide can be used:^[2]

BaS + 2 CH₃COOH → (CH₃COO)₂Ba +H₂S

Again, the solvent is evaporated off and the barium acetate crystallized.

Properties

Barium acetate is a white powder, which is highly soluble: at 0 °C, 55.8 g of barium acetate can be dissolved in 100 g of water. It decomposes upon heating into barium carbonate.

Reactions

When heated in air, barium acetate decomposes to the carbonate. It reacts with acids: reaction with sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid give the sulfate, chloride and nitrate respectively.

Uses

Barium acetate is used as a mordant for printing textile fabrics, for drying paints and varnishes and in lubricating oil. In chemistry, it is used in the preparation of other acetates; and as a catalyst in organic synthesis.

A powerful poison, it was featured in an episode in Season 6 of the television series Forensic Files (episode 76), wherein a daughter (Marie Robards) kills her father.

References

Further reading

• I. Gautier-Luneau; A. Mosset (1988). "Crystal structure of anhydrous barium acetate". Journal of Solid State Chemistry 73 (2): 473–479. Bibcode:1988JSSCh..73..473G. doi:10.1016/0022-4596(88)90133-8.