Nickel formate
Nickel formate is the nickel salt of formic acid with the chemical formula Ni2.
Synthesis and structure
Nickel formate can be obtained by reacting nickel acetate or nickel hydroxide with formic acid.Nickel formate can also be synthesized by the reaction of sodium formate with nickel sulphate.
Characteristics
As a dihydrate, nickel formate is a green, odorless, non-flammable solid that is sparingly soluble in water. The compound has a monoclinic crystal structure. The anhydride forms on careful heating at 130–140 °C. When heated in a vacuum to 300 °C, pure nickel is formed:Such fine powders are useful as hydrogenation catalysts.