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

Synthesis

Dissolution of metallic polonium in concentrated nitric acid:

P o 8 H N O 3   →   P o ( N O 3 ) 4 4 N O 2 ↑ 4 H 2 O {\displaystyle {\mathsf {Po 8HNO_{3}\ {\xrightarrow {}}\ Po(NO_{3})_{4} 4NO_{2}\uparrow 4H_{2}O}}}

Physical properties

Polonium(IV) nitrate forms white or colorless crystals. It dissolves in water with hydrolysis.

Chemical properties

It disproportionates in aqueous weakly acidic nitric acid solutions:

2 P o ( N O 3 ) 4 2 H 2 O   →   P o O 2 ( N O 3 ) 2 ↓ P o 2 2 N O 3 − 4 H N O 3 {\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


Po Polonium Element Information Fakten Eigenschaften Trends

Phosphate FOODCHEM

Po Polonium Post transition metal Chemical Element vector illustration

Polonium Facts, Symbol, Discovery, Uses, Poisoning

Polonium Lewis Dot Structure