Polonium tetranitrate

Polonium tetranitrate is an inorganic compound, a salt of polonium and nitric acid with the chemical formula Po(NO₃)₄.^[1] The compound is radioactive, forms white crystals.^[2][3]

Polonium tetranitrate

Names
Other names Polonium tetranitrate
Identifiers
CAS Number	66256-55-1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	23352125
ECHA InfoCard	100.060.234
EC Number	266-278-2
PubChem CID	23638965
InChI InChI=1S/4NO3.Po/c4*2-1(3)4;/q4*-1; Key: QQOAUYKHHFTXBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES [N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-].[Po]
Properties
Chemical formula	Po(NO3)4
Molar mass	457.00
Appearance	White crystalline solid
Solubility in water	Soluble
Hazards
GHS labelling:
Signal word	Warning
Related compounds
Related compounds	Americium(III) nitrate
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Synthesis

Dissolution of metallic polonium in concentrated nitric acid:^{[citation needed]}

${\displaystyle {\mathsf {Po+8HNO_{3}\ {\xrightarrow {}}\ Po(NO_{3})_{4}+4NO_{2}\uparrow +4H_{2}O}}}$

Physical properties

Polonium(IV) nitrate forms white^[4] or colorless crystals.^[5] It dissolves in water with hydrolysis.

Chemical properties

It disproportionates in aqueous weakly acidic nitric acid solutions:

${\displaystyle {\mathsf {2Po(NO_{3})_{4}+2H_{2}O\ \xrightarrow {} \ PoO_{2}(NO_{3})_{2}\downarrow +Po^{2+}+2NO_{3}^{-}+4HNO_{3}}}}$

The polonium(II) ion (Po²⁺) is then oxidized by nitric acid to polonium(IV).

References

1. Bagnall, K. W.; Robertson, D. S.; Stewart, M. a. A. (1 January 1958). "726. The polonium nitrates". Journal of the Chemical Society: 3633–3636. doi:10.1039/JR9580003633. ISSN 0368-1769.
2. Schmidt, M.; Siebert, W.; Bagnall, K. W. (22 October 2013). The Chemistry of Sulphur, Selenium, Tellurium and Polonium: Pergamon Texts in Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier. p. 986. ISBN 978-1-4831-5865-5. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
3. Advances in Inorganic Chemistry and Radiochemistry. Academic Press. 1 January 1962. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-08-057853-8. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
4. Schweitzer, George K.; Pesterfield, Lester L. (14 January 2010). The Aqueous Chemistry of the Elements. Oxford University Press. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-19-974219-6. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
5. Inorganic Chemistry. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. 2012. p. 494. ISBN 978-81-203-4308-5. Retrieved 20 August 2021.