HgCl2
mercury(II) chloride · mercuric chloride, sublimate
Mercury(II) chloride is a stable, insulating inorganic salt that has historically served as a versatile reagent in chemical synthesis and industrial applications.
About mercury(II) chloride
Mercury(II) chloride is a thermodynamically stable inorganic compound characterized by its insulating electronic nature. It exists as a wide-band-gap material and is notable for its significant structural diversity, with numerous reported configurations across scientific databases. Its stability on the convex hull underscores its importance as a fundamental mercury-based halide. Historically and industrially, this compound has been utilized in various chemical processes, ranging from its role as a reagent in organic synthesis to its past applications in preservation and medicine. Its distinct chemical behavior is driven by the interaction between the mercury cation and chloride anions.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for mercury(II) chloride, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Applications
Where mercury(II) chloride is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about mercury(II) chloride, answered from cross-validated data.
What is HgCl2?
Mercury(II) chloride is a stable, insulating inorganic salt that has historically served as a versatile reagent in chemical synthesis and industrial applications.
What is HgCl2 used for?
What is the band gap of HgCl2?
Is HgCl2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is HgCl2 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of HgCl2 are known?
What elements does HgCl2 contain?
Where does the data for HgCl2 come from?
How It Compares
As a prominent mercury halide, this compound serves as a primary reference point for understanding the behavior of divalent mercury salts. It occupies a distinct position in inorganic chemistry due to its well-defined stability profile and its role as a precursor in the synthesis of other mercury-containing materials.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
Analyze HgCl2 in the Lattice Graph platform
Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.
Explore the Platform →