 Ag(I) Ag(III) O | |
| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name silver(I,III) Oxide | |
| Other names tetrasilver tetroxide, silver peroxide, argentic oxide, silver suboxide, divasil | |
| Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.013.726 |
| EC Number |
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| UNII | |
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| Properties | |
| Ag4O4 Ag2O.Ag2O3 | |
| Molar mass | 123.87 g/mol |
| Appearance | grey-black powder diamagnetic |
| Density | 7.48 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | >100 °C, decomposition |
| .0027 g/100 mL | |
| Solubility | soluble inalkalis |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling: | |
    | |
| Danger | |
| H272,H315,H319,H335 | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
Silver(I,III) oxide ortetrasilver tetroxide is theinorganic compound with the formula Ag4O4. It is a component ofsilver zinc batteries. It can be prepared by the slow addition of a silver(I)salt to apersulfatesolution e.g.AgNO3 to aNa2S2O8 solution.[1] It adopts an unusual structure, being amixed-valence compound.[2] It is a dark brown solid that decomposes with evolution of O2 in water. It dissolves in concentratednitric acid to give brown solutions containing the Ag2+ ion.[3]
Although itsempirical formula, AgO, suggests that the compound tetrasilver tetraoxide has silver in the +2oxidation state, each unit has two monovalent silver atoms bonded to an oxygen atom, and two trivalent silver atoms bonded to three oxygen atoms, and it is in factdiamagnetic.X-ray diffraction studies show that the silver atoms adopt two different coordination environments, one having two collinear oxide neighbours and the other four coplanar oxide neighbours.[1] tetrasilver tetraoxide is therefore formulated as AgIAgIIIO2[4] or Ag2O·Ag2O3. It has previously been called silver peroxide, which is incorrect since it does not contain theperoxide ion, O22−.
Tetrasilver tetroxide has been marketed under a trade name "Tetrasil." In 2010, the FDA issued a warning letter to an American company concerning the firm's marketing of Tetrasil and Genisil ointments of tetrasilver tetroxide forherpes and similar conditions.[5]
