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Why do they tend to always mix nitric and sulfuric acid together?

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Protoman

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Aug 31, 2008, 11:40:39 PM8/31/08
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Why do they tend to always mix nitric and sulfuric acid together? Is
it b/c the mix is a special reagent, like nitric and hydrochloric acid
together?

Btw, would nitric acid and hydroiodic acid being even stronger then
aqua regia? Is there any acid that can dissolve iridium, since I've
heard that iridium withstands aqua regia.

Thanks

Marvin

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Sep 1, 2008, 11:58:25 AM9/1/08
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A mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids is used in nitration
reactions. Nitration of organic chemicals by nitric acid
produces water as a by-product. Sulfuric acid acts as a
catalyst, and it absorbs the water, pulling the reaction to
completion.

For more details, Google "nitration reaction", or go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitration

Bill Penrose

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Sep 1, 2008, 1:28:09 PM9/1/08
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On Aug 31, 8:40 pm, Protoman <Protoman2...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Why do they tend to always mix nitric and sulfuric acid together?

Concentrated sulfuric acid will suck the water out of anything, so
when it's added to nitric acid, it dehydrates it to an energetic ion
(I forget which; look it up) that attacks organic compounds, forming
nitro groups. Nitration of cotton or glycerine makes explosives, etc.

DB

Madalch

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Sep 1, 2008, 3:36:33 PM9/1/08
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On Sep 1, 10:28 am, Bill Penrose <dangerousb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Aug 31, 8:40 pm, Protoman <Protoman2...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Why do they tend to always mix nitric and sulfuric acid together?
>
> Concentrated sulfuric acid will suck the water out of anything, so
> when it's added to nitric acid, it dehydrates it to an energetic ion
> (I forget which; look it up) that attacks organic compounds, forming
> nitro groups.

It forms the [NO2]+ cation.

Madalch

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Sep 1, 2008, 3:37:47 PM9/1/08
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On Aug 31, 8:40 pm, Protoman <Protoman2...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Btw, would nitric acid and hydroiodic acid being even stronger then
> aqua regia?

No, because nitric acid will react with hydroiodic acid to give iodine
and either NO or NO2. Not useful.

Protoman

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Sep 1, 2008, 5:19:31 PM9/1/08
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So, would HNO3 + HI dissolve gold? I guess not.

H2SO4 + 4HClO4 -> Cl2O7?

Is NH4IO4 a more powerful oxidizer then NH4ClO4?

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