Polonium tetranitrate explained

Polonium tetranitrate is an inorganic compound, a salt of polonium and nitric acid with the chemical formula Po(NO₃)₄.^[1] The compound is radioactive, forms white crystals.^{[2] [3]}

Synthesis

Dissolution of metallic polonium in concentrated nitric acid:

Po+8HNO _{3} \xrightarrow{ Po(NO _{3 )} _{4} + 4 NO _{2\uparrow} + 4 H _{2O} }

Physical properties

Polonium(IV) nitrate forms white^[4] or colorless crystals.^[5] It dissolves in water with hydrolysis.

Chemical properties

It disproportionates in aqueous weakly acidic nitric acid solutions:

2Po(NO _{3)} _{4} +2H _{2O} \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).

Notes and References

1. Bagnall . K. W. . Robertson . D. S. . Stewart . M. a. A. . 726. The polonium nitrates . . 1 January 1958 . 3633–3636 . 10.1039/JR9580003633 . en . 0368-1769.
2. Book: Schmidt . M. . Siebert . W. . Bagnall . K. W. . The Chemistry of Sulphur, Selenium, Tellurium and Polonium: Pergamon Texts in Inorganic Chemistry . 22 October 2013 . . 978-1-4831-5865-5 . 986 . 20 August 2021 . en.
3. Book: Advances in Inorganic Chemistry and Radiochemistry . 1 January 1962 . . 978-0-08-057853-8 . 220 . 20 August 2021 . en.
4. Book: Schweitzer . George K. . Pesterfield . Lester L. . The Aqueous Chemistry of the Elements . 14 January 2010 . . 978-0-19-974219-6 . 243 . 20 August 2021 . en.
5. Book: Inorganic Chemistry . 2012 . PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. . 978-81-203-4308-5 . 494 . 20 August 2021 . en.