Cerous nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃

Cerous nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃.6H₂O, forms very deliquescent, triclinic crystals. A solution of the salt may be prepared from cerous sulphate and barium nitrate, by heating eerie hydroxide or oxide with nitric acid and a reducing agent, e.g. hydrogen peroxide, or by heating cerous oxalate with concentrated nitric acid. The crystals lose 3H₂O at 100°, and begin to decompose at 200°.

Cerous ammonium nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃.2(NH₄)NO₃.4H₂O, has been prepared by numerous chemists. Its solubility, in grams of Ce(NO₃)₃.2(NH₄)NO₃ per 100 of water, is as follows (Wolff): -

Temp. °C	8.8°	25°	45°	60°	65.1°
Grams of Ce(NO3)3.2(NH4)NO3	235.5	296.8	410.2	681.2	817.4

The salt 2Ce(NO₃)₃.3(NH₄)NO₃.12H₂O separates from aqueous solution of 0°.

Cerous caesium nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃.2CsNO₃.2H₂O, crystallises in the monoclinic system (a:b:c = 1.2052:1:0.9816; β = 103°41').

Cerous potassium nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃.2KNO₃.2H₂O, crystallises in the orthorhombic system (hemimorphic; a:b:c = 0.5227:1:0.5704).

Cerous sodium nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃.2NaNO₃.H₂O, forms hygroscopic crystals of density 2.65 at 0°.

The double salts of cerous nitrate and the nitrates of bivalent metals, 2Ce(NO₃)₃.3M^II(NO₃)₂.24H₂O, have been already described.