Barium acetate

Barium acetate

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Names
IUPAC name Barium acetate
Other names Barium diacetate
Identifiers
CAS Number	543-80-6 Y
Abbreviations	Ba(OAc)2
ChemSpider	10515 Y
EC Number	208-849-0
Jmol 3D model	Interactive image
PubChem	10980
RTECS number	AF4550000
UNII	FBA31YJ60R Y
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
SMILES [Ba+2].[O-]C(=O)C.[O-]C(=O)C
Properties
Chemical 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	450 °C (842 °F; 723 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
Vapor pressure	{{{value}}}
Except where otherwise noted, data are 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:

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.

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 a 2001 episode of the television series Forensic Files, recounting the 1993 murder of a man by his teenaged daughter (Marie Robards), though the episode and other crime documentary shows examining the Robards case willfully excluded the words "barium acetate" in hopes of preventing future "copycat" crimes. The print media, and a 2014 episode of the crime documentary series Redrum, have not been so circumspect.

Further reading

Salts and the ester of the Acetate ion
AcOH																	He
LiOAc	Be(OAc)2 BeAcOH											B(OAc)3	ROAc	NH4OAc	AcOAc	FAc	Ne
NaOAc	Mg(OAc)2											Al(OAc)3 ALSOL Al(OAc)2OH	Si	P	S	ClAc	Ar
KOAc	Ca(OAc)2	Sc(OAc)3	Ti(OAc)4	VO(OAc)3	Cr(OAc)2	Mn(OAc)2 MnAc3	Fe(OAc)2 FeAc3	Co(OAc)2, CoAc3	Ni(OAc)2	Cu(OAc)2	Zn(OAc)2	Ga(OAc)3	Ge	As	Se	BrAc	Kr
RbOAc	Sr(OAc)2	Y(OAc)3	Zr(OAc)4	Nb	Mo(OAc)2	Tc	Ru(OAc)2 Ru(OAc)3 Ru(OAc)4	Rh2(OAc)4	Pd(OAc)2	AgOAc	Cd(OAc)2	In	Sn(OAc)2 SnAc4	Sb(OAc)3	Te	IAc	Xe
CsOAc	Ba(OAc)2		Hf	Ta	W	Re	Os	Ir	Pt(OAc)2	Au	Hg2(OAc)2, HgAc2	TlOAc Tl(OAc)3	Pb(OAc)2 Pb(OAc)4	Bi(OAc)3	Po	At	Rn
Fr	Ra		Rf	Db	Sg	Bh	Hs	Mt	Ds	Rg	Cn	Uut	Fl	Uup	Lv	Uus	Uuo
		↓
		La(OAc)3	Ce(OAc)x	Pr	Nd	Pm	Sm(OAc)3	Eu(OAc)3	Gd(OAc)3	Tb	Dy(OAc)3	Ho(OAc)3	Er	Tm	Yb(OAc)3	Lu(OAc)3
		Ac	Th	Pa	UO2(OAc)2	Np	Pu	Am	Cm	Bk	Cf	Es	Fm	Md	No	Lr