Trimagnesium phosphate
| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name Trimagnesium diphosphate | |
| Other names magnesium phosphate, phosphoric acid, magnesium salt (2:3), tertiary magnesium phosphate, trimagnesium phosphate | |
| Identifiers | |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.028.931 | 
| EC Number | 
 | 
| E number | E343 (antioxidants, ...) | 
| 15662 | |
| PubChem CID | |
| UNII | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| 
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| 
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| Properties | |
| Mg3O8P2 | |
| Molar mass | 262.855 g·mol−1 | 
| Appearance | White crystalline powder | 
| Melting point | 1,184 °C (2,163 °F; 1,457 K) | 
| Insoluble | |
| Solubility product (Ksp)  | 1.04×10−24 | 
| Solubility | Soluble in salt solution | 
| −167·10−6 cm3/mol (+4 H2O) | |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Flash point | N/A | 
| Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references | |
Trimagnesium phosphate describes inorganic compounds with formula Mg3(PO4)2·nH2O. They are magnesium acid salts of phosphoric acid, with varying amounts of water of crystallization: n = 0, 5, 8, 22.
The octahydrate forms upon reaction of stoichiometric quantities of monomagnesium phosphate (tetrahydrate) with magnesium hydroxide.
- Mg(H2PO4)2 · 4H2O + 2 Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2 · 8H2O
The octahydrate is found in nature as the mineral bobierrite.
The anhydrous compound is obtained by heating the hydrates to 400 °C. It is isostructural with cobalt(II) phosphate. The metal ions occupy both octahedral (six-coordinate) and pentacoordinate sites in a 1:2 ratio.