Nomenclature
CAS number: 10112-91-1
Mercury chloride (Hg
2Cl
2); calomel; mild mercury chloride; mercury monochloride; mercury protochloride; mercury subchloride; precipité blanc; Calogreen (Mallinckrodt).
Cl
2Hg
2; mol wt 472.09.
Cl 15.02%, Hg 84.98%.
Hg
2Cl
2.
Properties
White, odorless, tasteless, heavy powder; slowly
dec by sunlight into mercuric chloride and metallic mercury; sublimes
at 400-500° without melting. d 7.15. Practically insol in water (0.00020 g/100 ml H2O at 25°). HCl or alkali and alkaline earth chlorides increase
soly in water. Insol in alcohol, ether. Dec by solns of alkali iodides,
bromides or cyanides into the mercuric salt and metallic mecury; solns
of alkali chlorides act similarly but slowly. Blackened by ammonia,
caustic alkali and alkaline earth solns. Protect
from light.Use
Dark green Bengal lights; calomel paper, mixed with
gold in painting on porcelain; for calomel electrodes; as fungicide;
in agriculture to control root maggots on cabbage and onions.
Therapeutic Category
Cathartic, diuretic, antiseptic, antisyphilitic.
Therapeutic Category (Veterinary)
Has been used as cathartic, and locally
as an antiseptic and desiccant.
Keywords
Antiseptic/Disinfectant; Mercurial compounds; Diuretic; Organomercurials; Laxative/Cathartic