PRODUCTS

LEAD ACETATE

Lead acetate is a versatile lead salt used mainly in laboratory, analytical, and specialized chemical applications.
Lead acetate's good water solubility makes it a convenient source of lead ions for controlled chemical reactions and reagent preparation.
Lead acetate's ability to readily form soluble lead-containing solutions makes it useful as a precursor for producing other lead compounds.

CAS Number: 301-04-2
EC Number: 206-104-4
Molecular Formula: C4H6O4Pb
Molecular Weight: 325.29 g/mol

Synonyms: Lead acetate, basic, Subacetate lead, Lead monosubacetate, Bis(aceto)dihydroxytrilead, Bis(acetato)dihydroxytrilead, Bis(acetato)tetrahydroxytrilead, BW7DT27250, Lead, bis(acetato)tetrahydroxytri-, Lead, bis(acetato-O)tetrahydroxytri-, RefChem:152656, LEAD ACETATE (PB3(ACO)2(OH)4), (acetyloxy)plumbyl acetate; bis(plumbanediol), LEAD ACETATE HYDROXIDE (PB3(OAC)2(OH)4), 215-630-3, 1335-32-6, Lead subacetate, Monobasic lead acetate, RCRA waste no. U146, RCRA waste number U146, CCRIS 68, HSDB 1651, EINECS 215-630-3, LEAD SUBACETATE [MI], UNII-BW7DT27250, SCHEMBL3398948, VLOJXAQYHIVPFI-UHFFFAOYSA-H, BIS(ACETATE)TETRAHYDROXYTRILEAD, Q27274923

Lead acetate is a white crystalline chemical compound with a slightly sweet taste.
Lead acetate's chemical formula is usually expressed as Pb(CH3COO)2 or Pb(OAc)2, where Ac represents the acetyl group.

Like many other lead compounds, Lead acetate causes lead poisoning.
Lead acetate is soluble in water and glycerin, and slightly soluble in ethanol.
With water it forms the trihydrate, Pb(OAc)2·3H2O a colourless or white efflorescent monoclinic crystalline substance.

Lead acetate is used as a reagent to make other lead compounds and as a fixative for some dyes.
In low concentrations, Lead acetate formerly served as the principal active ingredient in progressive types of hair colouring dyes.

Lead acetate is also used as a mordant in textile printing and dyeing, and as a drier in paints and varnishes.
Lead acetate was historically used as a sweetener and preservative in wines and in other foods and for cosmetics.

Lead acetate is a white crystalline compound.
Lead acetate is widely employed in cosmetic products.

Lead acetate paper is employed for the detection of poisonous gas, hydrogen sulfide.
Lead acetate reacts with 5-ethynyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2ebdc) to afford a 1D ladder network, [Pb(ebdc)(MeOH)]2·H2O.

Lead acetate is an inorganic salt with several uses, notably as an ingredient in dyes and mordants.
Lead acetate has been used as a sweetener and preservative in wines and other foods.
Lead acetate is commercially available as the anhydrous salt or the trihydrate.

One of the earliest literature mentions of Lead acetate was in the 21st article in an 1878 series about polyiodides (e.g., KI3) by George Stillingfleet Johnson at King’s College London.
Several articles from the 1890s cite Lead acetate in tests for whether it precipitates the anions of sodium or potassium salts under discussion.
One of the salts was derived from what Pietro Biginelli at the University of Florence called “saligeninoxyacetic acid”, now more properly named 2-[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]acetic acid2.

Lead acetate can be made by boiling metallic lead in acetic acid in the presence of an oxidant; dissolving lead(II) oxide in acetic acid; or treating copper(II) acetate with the metal.
The anhydrous salt and the trihydrate both have monoclinic crystal structures.

Lead acetate is a chemical compound, a white crystalline substance with a sweetish taste.
Lead acetate is made by treating litharge (lead(II) oxide, PbO) with acetic acid.
Lead acetate is soluble in water and glycerin.

With water Lead acetate forms the trihydrate, Pb(CH3COO)2·3H2O, a colorless or white efflorescent monoclinic crystalline substance.
Lead acetate is also known as lead acetate, lead diacetate, plumbous acetate, sugar of lead, lead sugar, salt of Saturn, and Goulard's powder (after Thomas Goulard).

Lead acetate is used as a reagent to make other lead compounds and as a fixative for some dyes.
In low concentrations, Lead acetate is the principal active ingredient in progressive types of hair coloring dyes.
Lead acetate is also used as a mordant in textile printing and dyeing, as a drier in paints and varnishes, and in preparing other lead compounds.

Lead Acetate is an inorganic lead compound, commonly encountered as lead(II) acetate or lead acetate trihydrate.
Lead acetate is generally supplied as a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water and has historically been used in laboratory, chemical, textile, and analytical applications.

Lead acetate acts as a source of lead ions in chemical reactions and has been used in the preparation of other lead compounds, certain pigments, mordants, and analytical reagents.
Because lead compounds are highly toxic and subject to strict regulatory controls, modern use is generally limited to controlled industrial, laboratory, or research environments.

Lead Acetate should be handled with rigorous exposure controls, appropriate personal protective equipment, and procedures designed to prevent ingestion, inhalation, skin contact, and environmental release.

Lead Acetate is poisonous in nature.
Lead acetate is used in making white lead in medicines and as a mordant in dyeing. Lead acetate was first produced in the United States in 1944.

Lead belongs to the group IV A elements and most of the compounds of lead have +2 state.
Lead acetate is stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage.

Lead acetate is a white crystal made by the action of acetic acid on litharge.
Lead acetate is used in gold toning baths to modify the pH.

Uses of Lead Acetate:
Lead acetate is used in analysis, clarifying, and decolorizing of organic solutions, e.g., sugar.
Lead acetate, as well as white lead, have been used in cosmetics throughout history, though this practice has ceased in Western countries.
Lead acetate is still used in men's hair coloring products like Grecian Formula.

These products are applied over a period of time to achieve a gradual coloring effect.
Lead acetate is also used as a mordant in textile printing anddyeing,and as a drier in paints and varnishes.

Lead acetate paper is used to detect the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide.
The gas reacts with Lead acetate on the moistened test paper to form a grey precipitate of lead (II) sulfide.

Lead acetate solution was a commonly used folk remedy for sore nipples.
In modern medicine, for a time, Lead acetate was used as an astringent, in the form of Goulard's Extract.

An aqueous solution of Lead acetate is the by product of the 50 / 50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar used in the cleaning and maintenance of stainless steel fire arm suppressors (silencers) and compensators.
The solution is agitated by the bubbling action of the hydrogen peroxide, and the main reaction is the dissolution of lead deposits within the suppressor by the acetic acid, which forms lead acetate.
Lead acetate is used as a precursor to other lead compounds such as the various carbonate.

Niche and laboratory uses:
Lead acetate paper is used to detect the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide.
The gas reacts with Lead acetate on the moistened test paper to form a grey precipitate of lead(II) sulfide.

An aqueous solution of Lead acetate is a byproduct of the process used in the cleaning and maintenance of stainless steel firearm suppressors (silencers) and compensators when using a 1:1 ratio of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar (acetic acid).
The solution is agitated by the bubbling action of the hydrogen peroxide, with the main reaction being the oxidation of lead by hydrogen peroxide and subsequent dissolution of lead oxide by the acetic acid, which forms lead acetate.

Because of its high toxicity, this chemical solution must be appropriately disposed by a chemical processing facility or hazardous materials centre.
Alternatively, the solution may be reacted with sulfuric acid to precipitate nearly insoluble lead(II) sulfate.

The solid may then be removed by mechanical filtration and is safer to dispose of than aqueous lead acetate.
Lead actate is also used sometimes to stain samples in preparation for electron microscopy.

Historical uses:

Sweetener:
Like other lead(II) salts, Lead acetate has a sweet taste, which led to its historical use as a sugar substitute in both wines and foods.
The ancient Romans, who had few sweeteners besides honey, would boil must (unfiltered grape juice) in lead pots to produce a reduced sugar syrup called defrutum, concentrated again into sapa.

This syrup was used to sweeten wine and to sweeten and preserve fruit.
Lead acetate is possible that Lead acetate or other lead compounds leaching into the syrup might have caused lead poisoning in those who consumed it.

Lead acetate is no longer used in the production of sweeteners because of its recognized toxicity.
Legislation prohibiting Lead acetate's use as a wine sweetener circa 1750 proved ineffective until decades later, when chemical methods of detecting its presence had been developed.

The earliest documented fatal poisoning of an individual by lead acetate was that of Pope Clement II, who died in October 1047.
A toxicological examination of his remains conducted in the mid-20th century confirmed centuries-old rumors that he had been poisoned with sugar of lead.
Lead acetate is not clear whether he was assassinated.

In 1787 painter and biographer Albert Christoph Dies swallowed, by accident, approximately 3⁄4 ounce (20 g) of lead acetate.
His recovery from this poison was slow and incomplete.
He lived with illnesses until his death in 1822.

Although the use of Lead acetate as a sweetener was already illegal at that time, composer Ludwig van Beethoven may have died of lead poisoning caused by wines adulterated with lead acetate (see also Beethoven's liver).[20][21]

In 1887, 38 hunting horses belonging to Captain William Hollwey Steeds were poisoned in their stables at Clonsilla House, Dublin, Ireland.
At least ten of the horses died.

Captain Steeds, an "extensive commission agent", had previously supplied the horses for the Bray and Greystones Coach.
Lead acetate transpired that they had been fed a bran mash that had been sweetened with a toxic lead acetate.

Cosmetics:
Lead acetate and white lead have been used in cosmetics throughout history.

Lead acetate was once used for men's hair colouring products like Grecian Formula.
The manufacturer did not remove lead acetate from its product until 2018.

Lead acetate has been replaced by bismuth citrate as the progressive colorant.
Lead acetate's use in cosmetics has been banned in Canada by Health Canada since 2005 (effective at the end of 2006) based on tests showing possible carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity and it is also banned in the European Union.

Medical uses:
Lead acetate solution was a commonly used folk remedy for sore nipples.
In modern medicine, for a time, Lead acetate was used as an astringent, in the form of Goulard's extract, and it has also been used to treat poison ivy.

During the Lewis and Clark Expedition, on May 10, 1805, Captain Meriwether Lewis wrote that he used "sugar of lead" mixed with white vitriol and water as a treatment for sore eyes.

In the 1850s, Mary Seacole applied Lead acetate, among other remedies, against an epidemic of cholera in Panama.

Other historic uses:
Lead acetate was used in making of slow match during the Middle Ages.
Lead acetate was made by mixing vinegar with litharge, a natural form of lead(II) oxide.
Lead acetate was also used in chemical coloring of metals.

Sugar of lead was a recommended agent added to linseed oil during heating to produce "boiled" linseed oil, the lead and heat acting to cause the oil to cure faster than raw linseed oil.
Lead acetate ("salt of Saturn") was used to synthesise acetone which was then known as "spirit of Saturn" for being made with the salt of Saturn and thought to be a lead compound in the 17th century.
Sir Isaac Newton called Lead acetate not "salt of Saturn" but "sugar of Saturn", Saccharum Saturnii, and used it to make a prism for his refractive experiments by pouring a solution of water and Saccharum Saturnii into a prism made of recycled mirror glass.

Physical Properties of Lead Acetate:
Lead acetate is a white crystalline material with a sweet taste and is also classified by one of the following trivial names: lead sugar, Saturn salt and Goulard powder, respectively.
Lead acetate is water and glycerin soluble, and is toxic (like most lead compounds).

Production of Lead Acetate:
Lead acetate can be made by boiling elemental lead in acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
This method will also work with lead(II) carbonate or lead(II) oxide.

Pb + H2O2 + 2 H+ → Pb2+ + 2 H2O
Pb2+ + 2 AcO− → Pb(OAc)2

Lead acetate can also be made by dissolving lead(II) oxide in acetic acid:
PbO + 2 AcOH → Pb(OAc)2 + H2O

Lead acetate can also be made via a single-displacement reaction between copper acetate and lead metal:
Cu(OAc)2 + Pb → Cu + Pb(OAc)2

Structure of Lead Acetate:
The crystal structure of anhydrous Lead acetate has been described as a 2D coordination polymer.
In comparison, Lead acetate trihydrate's structure is a 1D coordination polymer.

In the trihydrate, the Pb2+ ion's coordination sphere consists of nine oxygen atoms belonging to three water molecules, two bidentate acetate groups and two bridging acetate groups.
The coordination geometry at Pb is a monocapped square antiprism.
The trihydrate thermally decomposes to a hemihydrate, Pb(OAc)2·1⁄2H2O, and to basic acetates such as Pb4O(OAc)6 and Pb2O(OAc)2.

Stability and Reactivity of Lead Acetate:

Chemical Stability:
Stable under recommended storage and handling conditions.

Reactivity:
May react with strong acids, strong bases, oxidizing agents, and sulfides.

Conditions to Avoid:
Excessive heat, dust formation, incompatible materials, and uncontrolled environmental exposure.

Incompatible Materials:
Strong acids, strong bases, oxidizing agents, sulfides, and reactive chemicals.

Handling and Storage of Lead Acetate:

Safe Handling:
Avoid inhalation, ingestion, and contact with skin or eyes and minimize dust generation.

Storage Conditions:
Store tightly closed in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from incompatible materials and food products.

First Aid Measures of Lead Acetate:

Inhalation:
Move the affected person to fresh air and obtain immediate medical attention.

Skin Contact:
Wash thoroughly with soap and plenty of water and remove contaminated clothing.

Eye Contact:
Rinse cautiously with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention.

Ingestion:
Rinse mouth, do not induce vomiting unless instructed by medical personnel, and obtain immediate medical attention.

Firefighting Measures of Lead Acetate:

Suitable Extinguishing Media:
Use extinguishing media appropriate for the surrounding fire.

Specific Hazards:
The material is not readily combustible, but heating or decomposition may release toxic lead-containing fumes and other irritating gases.

Protective Equipment:
Firefighters should wear full protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus.

Accidental Release Measures of Lead Acetate:

Personal Precautions:
Avoid dust formation and direct contact and restrict access to the contaminated area.

Cleanup Methods:
Carefully collect spilled material into suitable sealed containers using methods that minimize dust generation.

Environmental Precautions:
Prevent release into drains, soil, surface water, and the general environment.

Exposure Controls/Personal Protection of Lead Acetate:

Engineering Controls:
Use effective local exhaust ventilation and provide suitable washing and emergency facilities.

Eye Protection:
Wear tightly fitting chemical safety goggles.

Hand Protection:
Wear suitable chemical-resistant gloves.

Skin Protection:
Wear protective clothing dedicated to areas where lead compounds are handled.

Respiratory Protection:
Use appropriate particulate respiratory protection when airborne exposure cannot be adequately controlled.

Identifiers of Lead Acetate:
CAS Number:
301-04-2
6080-56-4 (trihydrate)
1335-32-6 (basic)
ChEBI: CHEBI:31767
ChEMBL: ChEMBL1909062
ChemSpider: 8956
ECHA InfoCard: 100.005.551
EC Number: 206-104-4
MeSH: lead+acetate
PubChem CID: 16685321
RTECS number: OF8050000
UNII:
KL498O6790
RX077P88RY (trihydrate)
BW7DT27250 (basic)
CompTox Dashboard (EPA): DTXSID6020773
InChI: InChI=1S/2C2H4O2.Pb/c2*1-2(3)4;/h2*1H3,(H,3,4);/q;;+2/p-2
Key: GUWSLQUAAYEZAF-UHFFFAOYSA-L
SMILES: CC(=O)[O-].CC(=O)[O-].[Pb+2]

Product Number: L0315
Purity / Analysis Method : >98.0%(T)
Molecular Formula / Molecular Weight: C4H6O4Pb = 325.29
Physical State (20 deg.C): Solid
Storage Temperature : Room Temperature (Recommended in a cool and dark place, <15°C)
Store Under Inert Gas: Store under inert gas
Condition to Avoid: Moisture Sensitive
Packaging and Container : 1G-Glass Bottle with Plastic Insert (View image), 5G-Glass Bottle with Plastic Insert (View image)
CAS RN: 301-04-2
Reaxys Registry Number: 3692537
PubChem Substance ID: 354335604
Merck Index (14): 5397
MDL Number: MFCD00012452

Linear Formula: Pb(CH3CO2)2 · 3H2O
CAS Number: 6080-56-4
Molecular Weight: 379.33
NACRES: NA.22
PubChem Substance ID: 24870443
UNSPSC Code: 12161600
EC Number: 206-104-4
MDL number: MFCD00150023
Beilstein/REAXYS Number: 3730298

CAS No.: 301-04-2
Chemical Name: Lead acetate
CBNumber: CB3750317
Molecular Formula: C4H6O4Pb
Molecular Weight: 325.29
MDL Number: MFCD00012452

Properties of Lead Acetate:
Chemical formula: Pb(C2H3O2)2
Molar mass: 325.29 g/mol (anhydrous)
379.33g/mol (trihydrate)
Appearance: White powder or colourless, efflorescent crystals
Odor: Slightly acetic
Density: 3.25 g/cm3 (20 °C, anhydrous)
2.55 g/cm3 (trihydrate)
1.69 g/cm3 (decahydrate)
Melting point: 280 °C (536 °F; 553 K) (anhydrous), 75 °C (167 °F; 348 K), (trihydrate) decomposes at ≥ 200 °C, 22 °C (72 °F; 295 K)(decahydrate)
Boiling point: Decomposes
Solubility in water: Anhydrous:
19.8 g/100 mL (0 °C)
44.31 g/100 mL (20 °C)
69.5 g/100 mL (30 °C)
218.3 g/100 mL (50 °C)
Solubility: Anhydrous and trihydrate are soluble in alcohol, glycerol
Solubility in methanol: Anhydrous: 102.75 g/100 g (66.1 °C)
Trihydrate: 74.75 g/100 g (15 °C), 214.95 g/100 g (66.1 °C)
Solubility in glycerol: Anhydrous: 20 g/100 g (15 °C)
Trihydrate: 143 g/100 g (20 °C)
Magnetic susceptibility (χ): −89.1·10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD): 1.567 (trihydrate)

Linear Formula: Pb(CH3CO2)2·3H2O
CAS Number: 6080-56-4
Molecular Weight: 379.33
Beilstein: 3730298
EC Number: 206-104-4
MDL number: MFCD00150023
PubChem Substance ID: 329754133
NACRES: NA.21

Melting Point: 280 °C
Maximum Absorption Wavelength: 260 nm (H2O)
Solubility in water: Soluble
Degree of solubility in water: 440 g/l 20 °C
Solubility (slightly sol. in): Ethanol

Melting point: 75 °C (dec.)(lit.)
Boiling point: decomposes at >280℃
Density: 3.3 g/cm3
vapor pressure: 15.7hPa at 25℃
storage temp.: 2-8°C
solubility: DMSO (Slightly), Methanol (Slightly)
form: Liquid
color: Clear colorless
Water Solubility: g/100g H2O: 19.7 (0°C), 55.2 (25°C); equilibrium solid phase, Pb(CH3COO)2 ·3H2O [KRU93]; g/100mL H2O: 44.3 (20°C), 221 (50°C)
λmax: 260nm(H2O)(lit.)
Merck: 14,5397
Solubility Product Constant (Ksp): pKsp: 2.75
Dielectric constant: 2.5(0.0℃)

Molecular Weight: 8.1e+02 g/mol
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count: 4
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 8
Rotatable Bond Count: 0
Exact Mass: 807.96534 Da
Monoisotopic Mass: 809.96752 Da
Topological Polar Surface Area: 84.3 Å²
Heavy Atom Count: 15
Complexity: 25.5
Isotope Atom Count: 0
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count: 9
Compound Is Canonicalized: Yes

Specifications of Lead Acetate:
anion traces:
chloride (Cl-): ≤5 mg/kg
nitrate (NO3-): ≤10 mg/kg

cation traces:
Ca: ≤50 mg/kg
Cd: ≤5 mg/kg
Cu: ≤5 mg/kg
Fe: ≤10 mg/kg
K: ≤50 mg/kg
Mg: ≤50 mg/kg
Na: ≤50 mg/kg
Zn: ≤5 mg/kg

Structure of Lead Acetate:
Crystal structure: Monoclinic (anhydrous, trihydrate), Rhombic (decahydrate)

Thermochemistry of Lead Acetate:
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298): −960.9 kJ/mol (anhydrous), −1848.6 kJ/mol (trihydrate)

Names of Lead Acetate:

IUPAC name:
Lead(II) acetate

Systematic IUPAC name:
Lead(II) ethanoate

Other names:
Plumbous acetate
Sugar of Lead
Lead diacetate
lead sugar
Salt of Saturn
Goulard's powder