nitrite

nitrite
/nuy"truyt/, n.
1. Chem. a salt or ester of nitrous acid.
2. Nutrition. See sodium nitrite.
[1790-1800; NITR- + -ITE1]

* * *

Any salt or ester of nitrous acid (HNO2).

The salts are inorganic compounds with ionic bonds, containing the nitrite ion (NO2-) and any cation. The esters are organic compounds with covalent bonds, having the structure R―O―N―O, in which R represents a carbon-containing combining group and the bonding is from carbon to oxygen. These covalent nitrites are constitutional isomers (see isomerism) of the nitro compounds, nitric acid derivatives (R―NO2), in which the bonding is from carbon to nitrogen. Nitrites are used as food preservatives and color enhancers, though they are so toxic they have caused deaths and combine with amines to produce carcinogens. They are used in medicine to dilate blood vessels.

* * *

      any member of either of two classes of compounds derived from nitrous acid. Salts of nitrous acid are ionic compounds containing the nitrite ion, NO-2, and a positive ion such as Na+ in sodium nitrite (NaNO2). Esters of nitrous acid are covalent compounds having the structure R−O−N−O, in which R represents a carbon-containing combining group such as ethyl (C2H5) in ethyl nitrite. These covalent nitrites are isomers of the nitro compounds—e.g., nitroethane—which are considered to be derivatives of nitric acid rather than of nitrous acid.

      Nitrites usually are prepared by absorption of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide in an alkaline solution. In an older method, sodium nitrate was fused with lead, and the resulting sodium nitrite was dissolved in water and separated from the by-product, lead oxide, by filtration. Nitrites are used as food preservatives and in medicine as vasodilators to relieve cardiac pain. See also nitroso compound.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nitrite — ion with an O N O bond angle of ca. 120° …   Wikipedia

  • nitrite — [ nitrit ] n. m. • 1787; de nitre ♦ Chim. Sel de l acide nitreux. ⇒ azotite. Nitrite d amyle : ester de l acide nitreux. ● nitrite nom masculin Sel ou ester de l acide nitreux. (En milieu acide, avec l aniline, les nitrites donnent des diazoïques …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Nitrite — Ni trite, n. [Cf. F. nitrite. See {Niter}.] (Chem.) A salt or ester of nitrous acid; a compound bearing the { NO2} radical. [1913 Webster +PJC] {Amyl nitrite}, a yellow oily volatile liquid, used in medicine as a depressant and a vaso dilator.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Nitrīte — Nitrīte, soviel wie Salpetrigsäuresalze, z. B. Kaliumnitrit, salpetrigsaures Kali …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Nitrite — Nitrite, die Salze der salpetrigen Säure, z.B. Natriumnitrit, salpetrigsaures Natron …   Lexikon der gesamten Technik

  • Nitrite — Nitrīte, die salpetrigsauren Salze …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • nitrite — ► NOUN ▪ a salt or ester of nitrous acid …   English terms dictionary

  • nitrite — [nī′trīt΄] n. [ NITR + ITE1] 1. a salt of nitrous acid containing the monovalent, negative radical NO2 2. an uncharged ester of this acid …   English World dictionary

  • Nitrite — Nitrit Anion Ester der Salpetrigen Säure …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Nitrite — Les nitrites sont les sels de l acide nitreux. L acide nitreux est un acide instable de formule HNO2. La formule de l ion nitrite est NO2 . Structure de l ion nitrite Sommai …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”