Mercury dichloride
A mercury coordination entity made up of linear triatomic molecules in which a mercury atom is bonded to two chlorines. Water-soluble, it is highly toxic. Once used in a wide variety of applications, including preserving wood and anatomical specimens, embalming and disinfecting, as an intensifier in photography, as a mordant for rabbit and beaver furs, and freeing gold from lead, its use has markedly declined as less toxic alternatives have been developed. — ChEBI
Safety documents & references
1 indexed referencesFind a product-specific SDS
Safety guides and government classification records are not a manufacturer’s SDS. Match supplier, product number, concentration, physical form, region and revision before using a document.
Identity & molecular properties
Source-linked values| CAS number | 7487-94-7 | ChEBI ↗ |
| Molecular formula | Cl2Hg | ChEBI ↗ |
| Molar mass | 271.496 g/mol | ChEBI ↗ |
| Monoisotopic mass | 271.90835 Da | ChEBI ↗ |
| Formal charge | 0 | ChEBI ↗ |
| ChEBI identifier | CHEBI:31823 | ChEBI ↗ |
Cross-source molecular data
PubChem| Molar mass | 271.50 g/mol | PubChem ↗ |
| Exact mass | 271.908349 Da | PubChem ↗ |
PubChem computed values are shown separately from the ChEBI record. An exact InChIKey match was used to connect the records. Molecular descriptors do not describe a supplied product’s purity, particle size or performance.
Names & structural identifiers
Copy any identifiermercury dichloridemercury dichlorideLWJROJCJINYWOX-UHFFFAOYSA-L[Cl][Hg][Cl]InChI=1S/2ClH.Hg/h2*1H;/q;;+2/p-2Names & synonyms
Names are supplied by ChEBI. Trade names and related synonyms may describe a broader product context.
Classification & relationships
ChEBI ontologyRoles recorded in ChEBI
Database role annotations describe reported biological or chemical roles; they are not product approvals or recommendations for use.
Safety classification · Japan
NITE / Japanese governmentMercury dichloride · R06-C-100-JNIOSH
| Endpoint | Reported classification |
|---|---|
| Skin corrosion/irritation | Category 2 |
Selected source-reported endpoints. Other endpoints, rationales and conditions remain in the original classification. Missing or unlisted information does not mean non-hazardous. This is not a global classification or transport decision.
Read the original NITE classificationMass ↔ amount of substance
Calculated from sourced massUses 271.496 g/mol from ChEBI. Assumes the substance described by this record; no purity or concentration correction is applied.
Elemental composition
Theoretical mass fractionsHgClCalculated theoretical mass fractions from the reported formula and PubChem periodic-table atomic masses. These are not assay or purity results.
Research & patent references
Selected source associationsSources & record history
Checked 27 Sep 2026Release 255, 9 September 2026. ChEBI three-star (manually annotated) source entry. View original record ↗ · CC BY 4.0
PubCAS formats source data, connects references and computes explicitly labelled conversions. CAS cross-references are supplied by ChEBI; they do not constitute CAS verification or endorsement.