Barium sulfite

Barium sulfite
	Structure of barium sulfite
Names
	IUPAC name Barium sulfite
Identifiers
CAS Number	7787-39-5 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
ChemSpider	450991 ;
ECHA InfoCard	100.029.193
PubChem CID	6096951;
UNII	D71W8VF49C ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID00228489 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/Ba.H2O3S/c;1-4(2)3/h;(H2,1,2,3)/q+2;/p-2 Key: ARSLNKYOPNUFFY-UHFFFAOYSA-L ; InChI=1/Ba.H2O3S/c;1-4(2)3/h;(H2,1,2,3)/q+2;/p-2 Key: ARSLNKYOPNUFFY-NUQVWONBAA;
	SMILES [Ba+2].[O-]S([O-])=O;
Properties
Chemical formula	BaSO3
Molar mass	217.391 g/mol
Appearance	white monoclinic crystals
Density	4.44 g/cm3
Melting point	decomposes
Solubility in water	0.0011 g/100 mL
Solubility	insoluble in ethanol
Related compounds
Other anions	Barium sulfate; Barium fluoride; Barium chloride; Barium bromide; Barium iodide
Other cations	Calcium sulfite; Magnesium sulfite
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

Barium sulfite is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula BaSO₃. It is a white powder that finds few applications.

Occurrence

It is an intermediate in the carbothermal reduction of barium sulfate to barium sulfide:^[2]

BaSO₄ + CO → BaSO₃ + CO₂

It also occurs as an intermediate phase in the aqueous oxidation of BaS to BaSO₄ by weathering in slag.^[3]

Uses

Barium sulfite is used in the hydrolysis of dialdehyde starch by sulfurous acid yielding glyoxal and erythrose.^[4] The barium sulfite complexes with the glyoxal, allowing for higher reagent concentrations without loss of yield.^[4]

References

^ Lide, David R. (1998), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87 ed.), Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, pp. 4–45, ISBN 0-8493-0594-2
^ Kresse, Robert; Baudis, Ulrich; Jäger, Paul; Riechers, H. Hermann; Wagner, Heinz; Winkler, Jochen; Wolf, Hans Uwe (2007). "Barium and Barium Compounds". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a03_325.pub2. ISBN 978-3527306732.
^ Braithwaite, R. S. W.; Kampf, A. R.; Pritchard, R. G.; Lamb, R. P. H. (1993-06-01). "The occurrence of thiosulfates and other unstable sulfur species as natural weathering products of old smelting slags". Mineralogy and Petrology. 47 (2): 255–261. doi:10.1007/BF01161570. ISSN 1438-1168.
^ ^a ^b Wilham, C. A.; McGuire, T. A.; Cleve, J. W. Van; Otey, F. H.; Mehltretter, C. L. (2002-05-01). "Hydrolysis of Dialdehyde Starch. Glyoxal and Erythrose Production in Sulfurous Acid-Barium Sulfite Solutions". ACS Publications. doi:10.1021/i360001a014. Retrieved 2026-01-24.

[hand-1] Lide, David R. (1998), Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87 ed.), Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, pp. 4–45, ISBN 0-8493-0594-2

[2] Kresse, Robert; Baudis, Ulrich; Jäger, Paul; Riechers, H. Hermann; Wagner, Heinz; Winkler, Jochen; Wolf, Hans Uwe (2007). "Barium and Barium Compounds". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a03_325.pub2. ISBN 978-3527306732.

[3] Braithwaite, R. S. W.; Kampf, A. R.; Pritchard, R. G.; Lamb, R. P. H. (1993-06-01). "The occurrence of thiosulfates and other unstable sulfur species as natural weathering products of old smelting slags". Mineralogy and Petrology. 47 (2): 255–261. doi:10.1007/BF01161570. ISSN 1438-1168.

[Wilham-4] Wilham, C. A.; McGuire, T. A.; Cleve, J. W. Van; Otey, F. H.; Mehltretter, C. L. (2002-05-01). "Hydrolysis of Dialdehyde Starch. Glyoxal and Erythrose Production in Sulfurous Acid-Barium Sulfite Solutions". ACS Publications. doi:10.1021/i360001a014. Retrieved 2026-01-24.

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