Silver carbonate

Preparation

Silver carbonate is prepared by the reaction of sodium carbonate and silver nitrate.Reaction: Dissolve 53g of sodium carbonate in 600ml of water and slowly add it to a solution of 172g of silver nitrate dissolved in 2L of water (10min). Silver nitrate is in a slight excess. The reaction mixture was vigorously stirred with a mechanical stirrer, and the silver carbonate was filtered off, washed with a small amount of acetone to facilitate drying, and then air-dried. All operations must be carried out in a dark room.

Reactions

Silver carbonate is not a powerful oxidizing agent but it is useful in Organic chemistry. Rapoport et al. were probably the first to use silver carbonate for the oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl derivatives. Rapoport refluxed codeine with silver carbonate in benzene and obtained a 75% yield of codeinone. In later work King et al. oxidized codeine with silver carbonate in refluxing toluene or xylene and obtained an 85% yield of codeinone with a much shorter reaction time.

Reactivity Profile

Silver carbonate is a carbonates salt that has weak oxidizing or reducing powers. It is decomposed by acids with the evolution of carbon dioxide.

Health Hazard

Contact with eyes causes irritation. If continued for a long period, ingestion or inhalation of silver compounds can cause permanent discoloration of the skin (argyria).

Fire Hazard

Behavior in Fire: Decomposes to silver oxide, silver, and carbon dioxide; the reaction is not hazardous.

Application

Silver Carbonate on Celite is a reagent used in the synthesis of 3-Oxo-12a-hydroxy-5β-cholanoic Acid which is a keto bile acid derivative.

General Description

Odorless yellow to brown solid. Sinks in water.