Chloric acid
Chloric acid, HClO3, is an oxoacid of chlorine, and the formal precursor of chlorate salts. It is a strong acid (pKa ≈ −2.7) and an oxidizing agent.
Properties
Chloric acid is thermodynamically unstable with respect to disproportionation.
Chloric acid is stable in cold aqueous solution up to a concentration of approximately 30%, and solution of up to 40% can be prepared by careful evaporation under reduced pressure.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> Above these concentrations, chloric acid solutions decompose to give a variety of products, for example:<ref name=":0" />
When it reacts, it forms chlorate (ClO3) salts.
Hazards
Chloric acid is a powerful oxidizing agent which ignites most organic materials on contact. It is also corrosive.<ref name="PubChem">Template:Cite web</ref>
Production
Chloric acid may be produced from barium chlorate through its reaction with sulfuric acid, resulting in a solution of chloric acid and insoluble barium sulfate precipitate:<ref name="Brauer">Template:Cite book</ref>
The chlorate must be dissolved in boiling water and the acid should be somewhat diluted in water and heated before mixing.
Another method which can be used to produce solutions up to 10% concentration is by the use of cation exchange resins and a soluble salt such as Template:Chem2, where the Na+ cation will exchange with H+.<ref name="Brauer" />
Another method is the heating of hypochlorous acid, producing chloric acid and hydrogen chloride:Template:Cn
Any way it is produced, the acid may be concentrated up to 40% in a vacuum dessicator over Template:Chem2.<ref name="Brauer" />
See also
References
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