Specifications of Phenylmercuric Acetate BP Ph Eur Grade
Ph Eur
C8H8HgO2 --- 336.7 --- CAS 62-38-4
Action and use: Antiseptic, antimicrobial preservative.

DEFINITION
Content: 98.0 per cent to 100.5 per cent (dried substance).

CHARACTERS
Appearance: White or yellowish, crystalline powder or small, colourless crystals.
Solubility: Slightly soluble in water, soluble in acetone and in alcohol.

IDENTIFICATION
First identification A.
Second identification B, C.
A. Infrared absorption spectrophotometry.
B. To 5 ml of solution S (see Tests) add 5 ml of water and 0.1 ml of sodium sulphide solution. A white precipitate is formed that darkens slowly on heating.
C. To 10 ml of solution S add 2 ml of potassium iodide solution and shake vigorously. Filter. The filtrate gives reaction (b) of acetates.

TESTS
Solution S: Dissolve 0.250 g in 40 ml of water by heating to boiling. Allow to cool and dilute to 50 ml with water. Prepare the solution immediately before use.
Appearance of solution: Solution S is not more opalescent than reference suspension and is colourless.
Ionised mercury: Maximum 0.2 per cent.
Polymercuric benzene compounds: Maximum 1.5 per cent.
Loss on drying: Maximum 0.5 per cent, determined on 0.500 g by drying in an oven at 45C for 15 h.

Specifications of Phenylmercuric Acetate USP NF Grade
C8H8HgO2 336.74
Mercury, (acetato-O)phenyl-.
(Acetato)phenylmercury CAS 62-38-4.

Identification:
A: Add 0.5 mL of nitric acid to 0.1 g of it, warm gently until a dark brown color is produced, and dilute with water to 10 mL: the characteristic odor of nitrobenzene is evolved.
B: To 0.1 g of it add 0.5 mL of sulfuric acid and 1 mL of alcohol, and warm: the characteristic odor of ethyl acetate is evolved.
C: To 5 mL of a saturated solution in water add a few drops of sodium sulfide: a white precipitate is formed, which turns black when the mixture is boiled and then allowed to stand.

Melting range: between 149 and 153 .
Residue on ignition: not more than 0.2%.
Mercuric salts and Heavy metals: Heat about 100 mg with 15 mL of water, cool, and filter. To the filtrate add a few drops of sodium sulfide: the resulting precipitate shows no immediate color.
Polymercurated benzene compounds: Shake 2.0 g with 100 mL of acetone, and filter. Wash the residue with successive portions of acetone until a total of 50 mL is used, then dry the residue at 105C for 1 hour, and weigh: the weight of the residue does not exceed 30 mg (1.5%).