Potassium Ferricyanide, Extra Pure

Potassium Ferricyanide Extra Pure is a coordination compound containing iron bound to cyanide groups. It is of special value for students of coordination chemistry, oxidation-reduction reactions and qualitative chemical analysis. It contains ferricyanide ions which can take part in redox reactions and is therefore useful for detecting ferrous ions. One important application of potassium ferricyanide is the detection of ferrous ions (Fe²⁺). In a redox reaction ferricyanide can accept electrons from ferrous ions. This alters the oxidation state of the iron in the ferrous ions, and can cause a characteristic colour change or precipitate. Such visible reactions are useful to identify the presence of the iron species in qualitative analysis.

These compounds have applications in various analytical procedures due to their capacity to detect ferrous ions. In medical laboratory work, it is applicable for the detection of ferrous ions with biological tissue. The same chemical behavior can be used in industrial settings to detect the presence of free metal ions on the surface of steel or iron. The ability to detect these ions is useful when researching surface conditions involved in the process of rust formation. Potassium Ferricyanide, Extra Pure appears as a bright red crystalline powder. It is slowly soluble in 2.5 parts of cold water and forms a yellowish solution when dissolved. These physical properties can be used to demonstrate to students how a chemical's color in solution differs from the color of the solution itself. The product has an assay of not less than 99.0%, supporting its specified purity. Its chloride content is limited to not more than 0.05%, while sulphate content is limited to not more than 0.01%.

The combination of its coordination structure and redox behaviour makes potassium ferricyanide useful for reactions involving iron ions. The reactions are characteristic and provide a visual analytical response and the defined purity specifications enable use in applications that require a defined chemical composition.