Ag(NH&+ Hazard To the Editor: The account of the nonular seouence of silver ion nrecinitates and complexes in'the ~ o v e m h e r1980 issue bf TGIS JOURNAL'discusses hazards of silver stains on the flesh and toxicity of HCN. Not well known is thc hazard of keeping solutions of AdiYH-h7 one of the com~lexecformed in the demonstrati&. ~v&time,such solutio&deposit a black solid, especially around ground glass stoppers, which explodes when bottles are opened. Both Ag3N2 and AgN$ are described as explosive, giving silver and nitrogen gas either at high temperature or by mechanical shock. AgN3 is compared with mercury fuliminate (Hg(CN0)z) as a detonator for high explosive~.~ The explosives might easily result from 3Ag(NH3)2+ or 9Ag(NH&+
-
-
AgsN
8Ag
+ 3NH4+ + 2NH3
+ AgN3 + 9NH4+ + 6NH3
While on the subject I feel constrained to mention the hazard of treating silver nitrate with ethanol to lower its soluhility. Silver fulminate, AgCNO, is produced in copious quantities a t great peril to any occupants of the building.
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Shakhashiri. B. Z., Dirreen. Glen E., and Jurgens. Fred, J. CHEM. Eouc. 57, 813 (1980). Latimer. W. H., and Hildebrand. J. H., Reference Bwk of Inorganic Chemistry," MacMillan. New York. 1951. , Audrieth. L. F.. Chem. Rev. 15, 169 (1934). G. P. Haight, Jr. University of Illinois at UrbanaGhampaign Urbana. IL 61801
972
Journal of Chemical Education
