Could some one tell me if this reaction would work or any potential hazards.

MgSO4 + NaCl --------- MgCl +NaSO4

These are both salts...I don't think they will react easily...

 

You can get MgCl2

 

Mg(OH)2 + HCl > MgCl2 + H2O

 

Why do you want magnesium chloride?

 

 

Could some one tell me if this reaction would work or any potential hazards.

MgSO4 + NaCl --------- MgCl +NaSO4

These are both salts...I don't think they will react easily...

 

You can get MgCl2

 

Mg(OH)2 + HCl > MgCl2 + H2O

 

Why do you want magnesium chloride?

 

Right- the salts will just be in solution with no change. You can also use pure Mg metal (chips/granules, etc) and add HCl SLOWLY, stoichiometrically. Sorry, youll have to do the math.......

I would recommend an insoluble magnesium salt, such as the carbonate, fluoride, or iodide, and hydrochloric acid / salt. Or you could go the other way by making the bromide (somehow), and adding a chloride salt. Seeing as the chloride is less soluble than the bromide, you should get a precipitate if your solution was saturated enough.

I can see why you'd want to start with MgSO₄, it is a readily available chemical as epsom salt. Here is something else that might work:

Get a sparkling water or Sprite or some carbonated water drink and mix a solution of your sulfate with it. It might be slow, but you should see the white magnesium carbonate precipitating out. Filter this out and dry, and add HCl. The carbonic acid reformed at this point is probably going to disproportionate into CO₂ and H₂O because of acid, but if not then I'm not sure what to do. In any case, boil this down to get your hydrated MgCl₂. This is a bit long of a process, but it should work.

Easiest way is CaCl₂ and MgSO₄. These are both readily available- any CaSO₄ still present can be removed by boiling and filtering.

 

Edit: Just in case it wasn't clear, the CaSO4 is a significantly insoluble salt and precipitates removing it from solution. You need a 1:1 molar ratio.

Edited February 8, 201213 yr by Suxamethonium

I would recommend an insoluble magnesium salt, such as the carbonate, fluoride, or iodide, and hydrochloric acid / salt. Or you could go the other way by making the bromide (somehow), and adding a chloride salt. Seeing as the chloride is less soluble than the bromide, you should get a precipitate if your solution was saturated enough.

I can see why you'd want to start with MgSO₄, it is a readily available chemical as epsom salt. Here is something else that might work:

Get a sparkling water or Sprite or some carbonated water drink and mix a solution of your sulfate with it. It might be slow, but you should see the white magnesium carbonate precipitating out. Filter this out and dry, and add HCl. The carbonic acid reformed at this point is probably going to disproportionate into CO₂ and H₂O because of acid, but if not then I'm not sure what to do. In any case, boil this down to get your hydrated MgCl₂. This is a bit long of a process, but it should work.

I'd not recommend the fluoride and the iodide is soluble.

Adding a carbonated drink to Mg SO4 won't ppt the carbonate.

It won't work.