Ammonium bisulfate
Ball-and-stick model of an ammonium cation (left) and a bisulfite anion (right)
Names
IUPAC name
Ammonium hydrogen sulfate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.332 Edit this at Wikidata
RTECS number
  • WS990000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/H3N.H2O4S/c;1-5(2,3)4/h1H3;(H2,1,2,3,4) checkY
    Key: BIGPRXCJEDHCLP-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  • InChI=1/H3N.H2O4S/c;1-5(2,3)4/h1H3;(H2,1,2,3,4)
    Key: BIGPRXCJEDHCLP-UHFFFAOYAA
  • [O-]S(=O)(=O)O.[NH4+]
Properties
(NH4)HSO4
Molar mass 115.11 g/mol
Appearance White solid
Density 1.78 g/cm3
Melting point 147 °C (297 °F; 420 K)
Very soluble
Solubility in other solvents Soluble in methanol
insoluble in acetone
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
0
0
Safety data sheet (SDS) External MSDS
Related compounds
Other anions
 Ammonium thiosulfate
Ammonium sulfite
Ammonium sulfate
Ammonium persulfate
Other cations
 Sodium bisulfate
Potassium bisulfate
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☒N verify (what is checkY☒N ?)

Ammonium bisulfate, also known as ammonium hydrogen sulfate, is a white, crystalline solid with the formula (NH4)HSO4. This salt is the product of the half-neutralization of sulfuric acid by ammonia.

Production

It is commonly collected as a byproduct of the "acetone cyanohydrin route" to the commodity chemical methyl methacrylate.[1]

It can also be obtained by hydrolysis of sulfamic acid in aqueous solution, which produces the salt in high purity:

H3NSO3 + H2O → (NH4)HSO4

It also arises by the thermal decomposition of ammonium sulfate:

(NH4)2SO4 → (NH4)HSO4 + NH3

Applications

It can be further neutralized with ammonia to form ammonium sulfate, a valuable fertilizer. It can be used as a weaker alternative to sulfuric acid, although sodium bisulfate is much more common.

Natural occurrence

A related compound of the (NH4)3H(SO4)2 formula, occurs as the rare mineral letovicite, known from coal fire environments.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ William Bauer, Jr. "Methacrylic Acid and Derivatives" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2002, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. doi:10.1002/14356007.a16_441.
  2. ^ "Letovicite".
  3. ^ "List of Minerals". 21 March 2011.
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