2 Hg (l) + Cl2 (g) → Hg2Cl2 (s)

This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:

2 Cl0 + 2 e- → 2 Cl-I (reduction)

2 Hg0 - 2 e- → 2 HgI (oxidation)

Cl2 is an oxidizing agent, Hg is a reducing agent.

Reactants:

  • Hg
    • Names: Mercury source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04, Hg source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07, Quicksilver source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: Odourless heavy mobile silvery liquid metal source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
  • Cl2
    • Names: Chlorine source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02, Molecular chlorine source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02
    • Appearance: Greenish-yellow compressed liquefied gas with pungent odour source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04; Greenish-yellow gas with a pungent, irritating odor. [Note: Shipped as a liquefied compressed gas.] source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02

Products:

  • Hg2Cl2 – Dimercury dichloride source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Other names: Mercury(I) chloride source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02, Mercurous chloride source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02, Calomel source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: White solid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27; White crystalline powder source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04