Mg2Salze

Mg2Salze, or magnesium(II) salts, are chemical compounds containing the Mg2+ cation paired with various counteranions. The Mg2+ ion is small and highly charged, which yields high lattice energies and influences solubility and hydration behavior. In water, Mg2+ is strongly hydrated, typically as the octahedral complex [Mg(H2O)6]2+. Many magnesium salts crystallize as hydrates (for example MgSO4·7H2O, MgCl2·6H2O), though some exist as anhydrides.

Common examples include magnesium chloride (MgCl2), which is highly soluble; magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), used in medical and agricultural applications; magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO3)2); magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), sparingly soluble; and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), which is only modestly soluble and acts as a weak base. The solubility and behavior depend on the anion and conditions such as pH.

Preparation of magnesium salts typically arises from reactions of magnesium sources (for example Mg metal, MgO, or minerals) with the appropriate acids or with insoluble carbonates and hydroxides by dissolution-precipitation processes. Naturally, magnesium salts occur in minerals such as dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), magnesite (MgCO3), and brucite (Mg(OH)2).

Applications are diverse: Mg salts serve as dietary supplements and laxatives (MgSO4, Mg hydroxide), in agriculture as magnesium fertilizers, and in industry for catalysts, fluxes, and refractory materials. They are generally handled as inorganic solids or in aqueous solutions; toxicity is low but high doses can cause laxative effects.