Silver perchlorate is the

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

with the formula AgClO₄. This white solid forms a monohydrate and is mildly

deliquescent Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption or adsorption from the surrounding environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. If water molecules become suspended among the substance ...

. It is a useful source of the Ag⁺ ion, although the presence of

perchlorate A perchlorate is a chemical compound containing the perchlorate ion, . The majority of perchlorates are commercially produced salts. They are mainly used as oxidizers for pyrotechnic devices and to control static electricity in food packaging. Per ...

presents risks. It is used as a

catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

in organic chemistry.

Production

Silver perchlorate is created by heating a mixture of

perchloric acid Perchloric acid is a mineral acid with the formula H Cl O4. Usually found as an aqueous solution, this colorless compound is a stronger acid than sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. It is a powerful oxidizer when hot, but aqueous sol ...

with

silver nitrate Silver nitrate is an inorganic compound with chemical formula . It is a versatile precursor to many other silver compounds, such as those used in photography. It is far less sensitive to light than the halides. It was once called ''lunar caustic' ...

. Alternatively, it can be prepared by the reaction between

barium perchlorate Barium perchlorate is a powerful oxidizing agent, with the formula Ba(ClO4)2. It is used in the pyrotechnic industry. Barium perchlorate decomposes at 505 °C. Structure of barium perchlorate trihydrate Gallucci and Gerkin (1988) analyze ...

and silver sulfate, or from the reaction of perchloric acid with

silver oxide Silver oxide is the chemical compound with the formula Ag2O. It is a fine black or dark brown powder that is used to prepare other silver compounds. Preparation Silver oxide can be prepared by combining aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and a ...

Solubility

Silver perchlorate is noteworthy for its solubility in aromatic solvents such as

benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms, ...

(52.8 g/L) and

toluene Toluene (), also known as toluol (), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) at ...

(1010 g/L). In these solvents, the silver cation binds to the arene, as has been demonstrated by extensive crystallographic studies on crystals obtained from such solutions. Its solubility in water is extremely high, up to 500 g per 100 mL water.

Related reagents

Similar to

, silver perchlorate is an effective reagent for replacing

halide In chemistry, a halide (rarely halogenide) is a binary chemical compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an element or radical that is less electronegative (or more electropositive) than the halogen, to make a fluor ...

s ligands with perchlorate, which is a weakly or

non-coordinating anion Anions that interact weakly with cations are termed non-coordinating anions, although a more accurate term is weakly coordinating anion. Non-coordinating anions are useful in studying the reactivity of electrophilic cations. They are commonly found ...

. The use of silver perchlorate in chemical synthesis has declined due to concerns about explosiveness of perchlorate salts. Other silver reagents are

silver tetrafluoroborate Silver tetrafluoroborate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula AgBF4. It is a white solid that dissolves in polar organic solvents as well as water. In its solid state, the Ag+ centers are bound to fluoride. Preparation Silver tetraf ...

, and the related

silver trifluoromethanesulfonate Silver trifluoromethanesulfonate, or silver triflate is the triflate (CF3SO3−) salt of Ag+. It is a white or colorless solid that is soluble in water and some organic solvents including, benzene. It is a reagent used in the synthesis of organ ...

and

silver hexafluorophosphate Silver hexafluorophosphate, sometimes referred to "silver PF-6," is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula AgPF6. Uses and reactions Silver hexafluorophosphate is a commonly encountered reagent in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. ...

References

{{Perchlorates Perchlorates Silver compounds Deliquescent substances Oxidizing agents