Barium acetate

Description

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

Chemical properties

White Crystalline Powder

Chemical 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 .

Physical properties

White powdery solid; density 2.47g/cm³; decomposes on heating; highly soluble in water (55.8g /100g at 0°C), sparingly soluble in methanol (~1.43 g per liter).

The Uses of Barium acetate

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.

The Uses of Barium acetate

Used as catalyst for organic reactions

The Uses of Barium acetate

Barium acetate [Ba(C2H3O2)2?H2O], a white crystal, is used as a dryer for paints and varnishes. It is produced by adding acetic acid to barium sulfate and recovering the crystals by evaporation. It is also used as a textile mordant and catalyst.

What are the applications of Application

Barium acetate is a component in various biological assays

Preparation

Barium acetate is generally produced by the reaction of acetic acid with barium carbonate :
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 :
BaS + 2 CH₃COOH → (CH₃COO)₂Ba +H₂S
Again, the solvent is evaporated off and the barium acetate crystallized.

Definition

ChEBI: Barium acetate is an acetate salt in which the cationic component is barium(2+). It has a role as a mordant and a catalyst. It is an organic barium salt and an acetate salt.

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.

General Description

Barium acetate is the barium salt of acetic acid.

Hazard

The salt or its aqueous solution is highly toxic. LD10 (oral) rabbit: 236 mg/kg; LD10 (subcutaneous) rabbit: 96 mg/kg. See Barium.

Flammability and Explosibility

Not classified

Safety Profile

Poison via ingestion, intravenous, and subcutaneous routes. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and fumes. See also BARIUM COMPOUNDS.

Purification Methods

Crystallise the salt twice from anhydrous acetic acid and dry it under vacuum for 24hours at 100o. [Beilstein 2 I 49, 2 II 117, 2 III 192, 2 IV 114.]