Properties | More Info | Isotopes | Spectra
Compounds | Reactions | Production
Atomic: M.A.C. | Reference
Diagrams: Shell | Atomic Radius | Electron || Images
Reactions of Mercury
Reactions with water
Mercury does not react with water under normal conditions.
Reactions with air
Mercury reacts in air at about 350°C to form mercury(II) oxide.
  2Hg(s) + O2(g)2HgO(s)
Reactions with halogens
Mercury metal reacts with fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine to form the mercury(II) dihalides.
  Hg(l) + F2(g)HgF2(s)
  Hg(l) + Cl2(g)HgCl2(s)
  Hg(l) + Br2(l)HgBr2(s)
  Hg(l) + I2(s)HgI2(s)
Reactions with acids
Mercury does not react with non-oxidizing acids but does react with concentrated nitric acid or concentrated sulphuric acid to form mercury(II) compounds together with nitrogen or sulphur oxides.
Mercury dissolves slowly in dilute nitric acid to form mercury(I) nitrate, mercurous nitrate, Hg2(NO3)2.
Reactions with bases
Mercury does not react with alkalis under normal conditions.
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Hg2+ + 2e-Hg(l) +0.854
2Hg2+ + 2e-Hg22+ +0.920
2Hg2+ + 2e-Hg22+ +0.907
Hg22+ + 2e-2Hg(l) +0.788
Hg22+ + 2e-2Hg(l) +0.274
Hg22+ + 2e-2Hg(l) +0.776
Hg22+ + 2e-2Hg(l) +0.674
HgO(s) + H2O + 2e-Hg(l) + 2OH- +0.10
HgO(s) + 2H+ + 2e-Hg(l) + H2O3 +0.9
2Hg(OH)2(s) + 4H+ + 2e-Hg22+ + 4H2O +1.28
Hg2Cl2(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + 2Cl- +0.268
Hg2Cl2(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + 2Cl- +0.244
Hg2Cl2(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + 2Cl- +0.282
Hg2Cl2(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + 2Cl- +0.334
Hg2Br2(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + 2Br- +0.14
Hg2I2(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + 2I- -0.04
Hg2C2O4(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + C2O42- +0.42
Hg2SO4(s) + 2e-2Hg(l) + SO42- +0.615
HgS(s) (black) + 2e-Hg(l) + S2- -0.67
HgS(s) (red) + 2e-Hg + S2- -0.70
Hg(CN)42- + 2e-Hg(l) + 4CN- -0.37