Red mercury

The metal is slowly oxidised by air at its boiling point, to give red mercury(II) oxide it is attacked by the halogens (which cannoi therefore be collected over mercury) and by nitric acid. (The reactivity of mercury towards acids is further considered on pp. 436, 438.) It forms amalgams—liquid or solid—with many other metals these find uses as reducing agents (for example with sodium, zinc) and as dental fillings (for example with silver, tin or copper). 

Mercury compounds (for example mercury(II) chloride) are used in medicine because of their antiseptic character. The artificial red mercury(Il) sulphide is the artist s vermilion . Mercury(II) sulphate is a catalyst in the manufacture of ethanal from ethyne ... 

Chemical Designations - Synonyms Mercuric iodide, red Mercury biniodide Chemical Formula ... 

Mercury(II) oxide, a red powder, can be decomposed by heating to produce liquid mercury and oxygen gas. When a sample of this compound is decomposed, 3.87 g of oxygen and 48.43 g of mercury are produced. In a second experiment, 15.68 g of mercury is allowed to react with an excess of oxygen and 16.93 g of red mercury(II) oxide is produced. Show that these results are consistent with the law of constant composition. 

Some reference to Hermes Trismegistus (pp. 194-199), and Chapter 11 The mysterious art of alchemy (pp. 200-219). An interesting section at the end on modem Red Mercury ... 

Badolato, Edward V. and Dale Andrade. Red Mercury hoax or the ultimate terrorist weapon rhttp //www.cmsinc. freeservers.com/redmercurv.pdf1. 

Although red mercuric oxide usually vigorously decomposes hydrogen peroxide, the presence of traces of nitric acid inhibits decomposition and promotes formation of red mercury(II) peroxide. This explodes on impact or friction, even when wet, if the mercury oxide was finely divided. 

Red mercury(ll) oxide is obtained by heating mercury in air or oxygen (preferably under pressure) at 450°C ... 

Azabicyclo[4.2.0]octan-l-ols were converted to azocinone derivatives 4 and 5 on photolysis in the presence of an excess of red mercury(II) oxide and iodine.189 A similar ring enlargement is reported for 2-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octan-6-ol to give 6.190... 

Benzoxathiolium salts have proven to be effective masked acylating agents (79S223). 2-Substituted 1,3-benzoxathiolium tetrafluoroborates have now been utilized in the preparation of esters. Reaction of the salt (334) with two equivalents of an alcohol gave the 2-alkoxy-2-alkyl-benzoxathiole (335). Hydrolysis of (335) with red mercury(II) oxide and boron trifluoride etherate in aqueous THF delivered ethyl benzoate in excellent yield (Scheme 72). 

France. In Lavoisier s laboratory, in the presence of a number of natural philosophers, he mentioned some of the startling results of his experiments. Lavoisier himself honored him with his notice, and while dining with him Priestley made no secret of anything he had observed during his years of experimentation, having no idea at that time to what these remarkable facts would lead. Lavoisier listened to every word of this Englishman, and when Priestley left to visit Mr. Cadet, from whom he was to secure a very pure sample of the red mercury powder, Lavoisier went back to his laboratory, lit the fire of his furnace, and repeated the experiments of the minister. 

Although mercury(H) trifluoroacetate may be obtained commercially, the submitters recommend that it be freshly prepared. A mixture of red mercury(II) oxide (108.3 g, 0.5 mol) (obtained from BDH Chemicals Ltd.) and freshly distilled trifluoracetic acid (137.0 g, 1.2 mol) (purchased from J. T. Baker Chemical Co.) was heated at 80°C for 30 min. The excess trifluoroacetic acid and the water formed in the reaction were removed under reduced pressure. The white crystalline residue was then dried (50°C, 0.01 mm) for 48 hr to give a quantitative yield of product. 

When boiling the mercury(I) iodide precipitate with water, disproportionation again takes place, and a mixture of red mercury(II) iodide precipitate and finely distributed black mercury is formed ... 

APPOSITION — The Philosophers say that one — must begin by the apposition of citrine red Mercury in order to pass from the white to the red. It is a philosophical figure of speech. The truth is that nothing is added, for the matter contains within itself all that is required. The matter is simply cooked, augmenting the necessary fire. Those who understand this figure of speech literally, and introduce a citrine red Mercury fall into a serious error. 

CAMERETH — The Fixed or Red Mercury of the Philosophers, or the Sulphur of the Sages. 

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