Magnesium hypophosphate has themolecular formula
of Mg2P2O4. It can be formed by an aqueous solution of
hypophosphorus acid and a soluble magnesium salt:
2MgCl2 (aq) +H4P2O4 (aq) ? Mg2P2O4 (solid)
+ 2HCl (aq)
The magnesium salt solution is added until no precipitate
results. Alternatively, sodium hypophosphate can
be used to produce a basic solution instead of acidic.
The acidic product is a magnesium hydrogen hypophosphate,
MgH2P2O6·4H2O. This salt is much more soluble
in water (~0.05 g/100 ml) than the basic product that is
a decahydrate, Mg2P2O4·12H2O. The latter compound
is much less soluble at 0.00072 g/100 ml. Neither of
these salts has a CAS number.
The crystal structure of the anhydrate or the hydrates
has not been determined. The thermal decomposition of
either of these two salts has not been determined.
