KHC2O4

KHC2O4, also known as potassium hydrogenoxalate or potassium binoxalate, is the salt formed between potassium and the hydrogenoxalate anion. This compound is a colorless crystalline solid and is soluble in water. It is an acidic salt due to the presence of the hydrogenoxalate ion, which can donate a proton. The structure of KHC2O4 consists of potassium cations (K+) and hydrogenoxalate anions (HC2O4-). The hydrogenoxalate ion itself is derived from oxalic acid (H2C2O4), a dicarboxylic acid.

KHC2O4 can be prepared by reacting potassium hydroxide (KOH) or potassium carbonate (K2CO3) with oxalic acid in the appropriate stoichiometric ratio. For instance, reacting one mole of potassium hydroxide with one mole of oxalic acid will yield potassium hydrogenoxalate and water. This compound finds some limited applications in chemical analysis, particularly as a primary standard for the standardization of alkaline solutions due to its high purity and stability. It has also been explored in certain specialized chemical reactions and as a component in some cleaning formulations. In its solid form, it is relatively stable under normal conditions.