General Description
Dull green odorless solid. Sinks and mixes slowly with water.
Air & Water Reactions
Water soluble.
Reactivity Profile
Nickelous acetate is a green, crystalline material, mildly toxic and carcinogenic. Combustible when exposed to heat or flame. When heated to decomposition Nickelous acetate emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes [Lewis, 3rd ed., 1993, p. 909].
Health Hazard
Inhalation causes irritation of nose and throat. Ingestion causes vomiting. Contact with eyes causes irritation. May cause dermatitis in contact with skin.
Hazard
Toxic by ingestion, a carcinogen (OSHA).
Description
Nickel (II) acetate (Ni (CH3 COO)2 ) is an inorganic compound of nickel and acetic acid. This inorganic compound is usually found as the tetrahydrate. It is used for electroplating.
It can be made by reacting nickel or nickel (II) carbonate with acetic acid.
Ni + 2 CH3 COOH → C4 H6 NiO4 + H2
NiCO3 + 2 CH3 COOH → C4 H6 NiO4 + CO2 + H2 O
The green tetrahydrate has been determined by X-ray crystallography to be octahedral about the central nickel atom, coordinated by four water molecules and two acetate fragments.It may be dehydrated in vacuo, by reaction with acetic anhydride,or by heat.
Chemical Properties
Green, monoclinic crystals; effloresces
somewhat in air.Soluble in water and alcohol.
Chemical Properties
Nickel(II) acetate crystallizes from solutions of the hydroxide in acetic acid at room
temperature as the green tetrahydrate. This is isomorphous with the cobalt(II) salt having a
distorted octahedral structure with the nickel atoms surrounded by four water molecules
and two oxygens from two acetato groups which are trans to each other. Its magnetic
moment is 3.30 BM at room temperature. The hygroscopic anhydrous acetate is obtained
by dehydration of the tetrahydrate in vacuo or by heating the tetrahydrate under reflux with
acetic anhydride. Like the tetrahydrate it is magnetically dilute at room temperature.
Upon thermal decomposition in nitrogen (or in vacuo) at 300° it evolves acetone, acetic acid,
carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and water leaving nickel and N13C.
Physical properties
The tetrahydrate is a green crystalline solid; sweet taste; odor of acetic acid; density 1.744 g/cm3; loses water on heating to form a yellow-green powder of anhydrous nickel acetate; decomposes above 250°C; soluble in water, 17g/100mL at 20°C; sparingly soluble in alcohol.
Flammability and Explosibility
Nonflammable
Safety
Nickel salts are carcinogenic and irritate the skin.
