Copper Nitrate
Copper Nitrate
(cupric nitrate), Cu(NO3)2; white (slightly green) crystals, which upon heating break down into CuO, NO2, and O2. Anhydrous Cu(NO3)2 can be obtained from its concentrated nitric-acid solutions. The form most often isolated from aqueous solutions is Cu(NO3)2 · 6H2O—dark blue crystals with a density of 2.07 g/cm3, which deliquesce upon exposure to air. Cu(NO3)2 · 3H2O, which forms blue crystals, is more stable at ordinary temperatures. Copper nitrate is readily soluble in water and alcohol (125.2 g anhydrous salt per 100 g H2O at 20°C) and is used in the preparation of dyes. Copper (I) nitrate can only exist in solutions, since it has not been isolated in free form.