Gray-black powder. Soluble in water. Soluble in ethanol is blue, dissolved in ethylene glycol ether is bright blue, insoluble in other organic solvents. Aqueous solution is purple, adding concentrated hydrochloric acid is reddish blue; adding concentrated sodium hydroxide solution is reddish purple and produces precipitate. In concentrated sulfuric acid it is bluish green, after dilution it turns purple and produces precipitate; in concentrated nitric acid it is partially dissolved and is olive-colored. When stained with copper ions, the color light is slightly green, and when stained with iron ions, the color light is slightly red and dark.