Barium Thiocyanate, Ba(CNS)2, is prepared by boiling the cuprous or ammonium salt with barium hydroxide solution. It crystallises in long shining deliquescent needles with 2 molecules of water of crystallisation. It can also be formed by the action of thiocyanic acid on barium carbonate.
It loses its water of crystallisation at 120°-130° C., or at ordinary temperatures over sulphuric acid. It is very soluble in water, 100 c.c. of a solution saturated at 15° C. containing 103.7 grm. of the anhydrous salt.
Various double salts have been isolated - for example, BaHg(CNS)4 and Ba[Hg(CNS)3]2, Ba(CNS)2.2Hg(CNS)2.4H2O, Ba(CNS)2.Hg(CN)2, Ba(CNS)2.2HgBr2.5H2O, and BaZn(CNS)4.7H2O, Ba3Cr2(CNS)12.16H2O, and Ba[(CrNH3)2(CNS)3]2(CNS)2.
Barium thiocyanate forms compounds with ethyl alcohol, Ba(CNS)2. 2C2H5OH and Ba(CNS)2.C2H5OH, and also one with methyl alcohol, Ba(CNS)2.2CH3OH. |