10275. Mercury Fulminate

Nomenclature

CAS number: 628-86-4
Bis(fulminato-κC)mercury; fulminic acid mercury(2+) salt; Knallquecksilber.
C2HgN2O2; mol wt 284.62.
C 8.44%, Hg 70.48%, N 9.84%, O 11.24%.

Description and references

Primary explosive prepd by addition of ethanol to mercury in nitric acid soln: E. Howard, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. 90, 204 (1800) DOI. Coulometric determn in explosive compositions: A. J. van der Hulst, Anal. Chem. 41, 207 (1969) DOI. Thermal decomposition analysis: M. E. Brown, G. M. Swallowe, Thermochim. Acta 49, 333 (1981) DOI. NMR structural studies: F. De Sarlo et al., Org. Magn. Reson. 22, 372 (1984) DOI. Crystal structure determn: W. Beck et al., Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 633, 1417 (2007) DOI.

Chemical structure

Properties

Grey crystalline solid. Crystal d 4.467. Explosive. Poisonous. Highly sensitive to friction and shock. Store under water and protect from light.

Use

Primary explosive; component of percussion cap and blasting cap detonators.