The composition of the royal. What is aqua regia? What acids does aqua regia consist of?

Ask a foreigner what the national drink is in Russia, and you will get the answer - vodka. Back in the 14th century, the “water of life” was first brought to Rus' and presented to Prince Dmitry Donskoy. In the 15th century it began to be produced in our country. In the 16th century they began to export. Vodka Tsarskaya is an alcohol permeated with the idea of the relationship between history and modern Russian culture.

The manufacturer is the Ladoga company, located in St. Petersburg. Tsarskaya’s signature bottles are made from cosmetic glass, thanks to which excellent taste and the high quality of the drink remains unchanged throughout the entire storage period.

Types and features

The Tsar's Vodka line is represented by two classic varieties: Zolotaya and Original, as well as fruit varieties: Cranberry, Currant, Grapefruit, Citron and Raspberry. The Original New Year's edition is produced in a limited edition.

All varieties have a strength of 40% and a crystal clear color.

Each bottle is decorated with a reproduction of the portrait of Peter I by Karl More, state heraldic symbols and views of St. Petersburg.

Alcoholic drinks are multiple winners of prestigious domestic and international competitions and exhibitions. Customer reviews confirm the high quality of the alcohol.

Tsarskaya Gold

Tsarskaya Zolotaya vodka was created according to a recipe dating back to the Peter the Great era. It is based on luxury wheat alcohol, specially purified water from Lake Ladoga, natural linden honey and linden blossom infusion.

This vodka is truly golden. In its production it is used unique technology enrichment of the drink with gold ions. The bottle is also decorated with pure precious metal.

Tsarskaya Zolotaya has a soft sweetish taste with light notes of linden and honey.

Vodka is available in 50 ml, 375 ml and 700 ml bottles.

Pairs well with meat and fish dishes, salted or pickled vegetables and mushrooms.

Tsarskaya Original

The vodka contains rectified alcohol from durum wheat, linden honey, linden blossom infusion and purified water. During purification, the drink passes through birch charcoal and silver particles.

Transparent color and soft taste with light honey-linden notes create an organoleptic portrait of the drink.

Possible container volumes are 50, 375, 500 and 700 ml and 1 liter.

Tsar's Original Cranberry

In the production of this fruit vodka, aromatic alcohol and cranberry extract are used. The color remains crystal clear. The taste is reminiscent of a popular dessert - sugared cranberries. The drink has a long sweet aftertaste.
It is recommended to be consumed as a digestif in combination with chilled watermelon, melon or pineapple.

The entire line of Czar’s Original fruit vodka is available in 750 ml bottles.

Tsar's Original Currant (Czar's Original Currant)

This vodka is based on high-quality alcohol and black berry extract. The aroma is rich in notes of fresh currant leaves. The taste is pronounced berry with herbal undertones. The bouquet is complemented by a long aftertaste of dried currants.

Perfect as an aperitif or digestif. Gastronomically goes well with berry and creamy desserts.

Czar's Original Grapefruit

If you prefer strong alcoholic drinks and love zesty citrus, then this Tsar Vodka was created especially for you. It is distinguished by a bitter taste with notes of grapefruit zest and a rich aroma. flowering tree and a pronounced aftertaste.

Tsar's Original Citron

Citron is a distillate of lemon peel, giving it a mild citrus taste with a slight sourness and a fresh fruity aroma.

Serve chilled. Goes well with sugared lemon slices.

Tsar's Original Raspberry

Raspberry Czar’s Original is truly a game of organoleptics. Fresh forest raspberries are felt in the aroma and taste, and piquant notes of bay leaf are in the aftertaste.

Tsar's Original New Year's

Every year, on the eve of the New Year, Ladoga releases a limited edition of the Tsar's Original in a festive design. Vodka differs only in its bottle. Blue frosted glass, white carved snowflakes, curly inscription “Happy New Year!” and a large decorated Christmas tree with gifts. It’s hard not to notice such beauty on the shelves.

The Tsar's Original was first released in 2003 for the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg for the celebrations of the holiday. This began the history of the production of vodka by the Ladoga distillery under a resonant brand.

In 2006, Tsarskaya Zolotaya received the status of the official drink of the G8 summit, which was held in Strelna (St. Petersburg region).

The Czar’s Original line was originally developed for the markets of the USA, England and Germany, where flavored vodkas are very popular. Later, after marketing research among our compatriots, a decision was made to introduce drinks to the Russian market.

Choice in favor of the original

Tsar's vodka belongs to the Premium class, so it is of great interest to fraudsters involved in counterfeiting alcohol. To avoid making a mistake when purchasing, pay attention to the following features:

all surfaces of the bottle are slightly rounded;
the bottom is strongly curved, with relief inscriptions applied to it;
the label is transparent, on its front side there is a portrait of Peter I - check that the printing is of high quality;
on the back of the label there is an excerpt from the poem by A.S. Pushkin “The Bronze Horseman”;
a large “Premium” inscription is applied to the side surface of the bottle;
on the neck there is a small label with the inscription “Vodka Tsarskaya”;
There is a protective brand film on the lid;
The neck of the bottle has a dispenser, the diameter of which is marked with the inscription “Tsarskaya”.

Be responsible when choosing alcohol, because counterfeit can not only spoil the impression of the drink, but also harm your health.

Ordinary people who have nothing to do with chemistry do not always know what Tsar’s vodka is. It is often confused with a regular alcoholic drink. In fact, aqua regia is a mixture of concentrated acids that is used to dissolve any metals, including precious ones.

The composition of aqua regia includes hydrochloric acid (one volume) and nitric acid (three volumes). Sometimes added sulfuric acid. This solution has many recipes. In the Middle Ages, aqua regia was prepared by distilling a mixture of saltpeter, copper sulfate and alum with the addition of ammonia.

Today, the most popular recipe includes a combination of nitric and hydrochloric acids. The peculiarity of such a solution is that it doubles and triples its oxidizing properties.

Separately, none of the acids included in its composition can dissolve metals.

Aqua regia is often used to dissolve rare earth and precious metals in the industry. The chemistry of such metals has its own specific features: The dissolution process is carried out in stages. First, nitric acid oxidizes hydrochloric acid.

During this reaction, chlorine and nitrosyl chloride are produced, which in turn can produce platinum. The reaction produces tetrachloroauric acid, commonly known as “chlorine gold,” from which metallic gold can be easily obtained.

The resulting acid, which includes gold, is highly soluble in water. Its crystals are light yellow.

The solution therefore turns yellowish. When heated, the composition decomposes, releasing hydrochloric acid and gold chloride, which has a reddish-brown color.

As heating continues, all gold compounds decompose, releasing metallic gold. When platinum is dissolved in aqua regia, chloroplatinic acid is obtained. When the solution is evaporated, it is released in the form of red-brown crystals of the composition.

Often people who are engaged in extraction want to learn how to make aqua regia on their own. This highly oxidizing solution is not sold in finished form. To extract precious metals, you can prepare it yourself.

Aqua regia can be obtained by mixing one part nitric acid and 3 parts hydrochloric acid. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the proportions so that the reaction is strong.

Nitric and hydrochloric acid

If this is not done, the solution will not dissolve precious metals due to the weakness of the reaction. You should not mix reagents by eye, as this way you will not get the proper accuracy.

When preparing such a solution you should:

use protective equipment for hands and eyes;
a measuring tube that will help you accurately determine the proportions;
extractor hood to remove toxic fumes from acids;
a specially prepared area on the workbench that will provide protection from spilling hazardous acids and causing chemical burns.

The preparation of aqua regia must be carried out in compliance with strict proportions. Only in this case will it be possible to obtain a composition that will dissolve gold and platinum. How to prepare aqua regia in stages will be described below.

Stages of preparing aqua regia

First, you need to pour hydrochloric acid into a chemical container with marks, since to prepare aqua regia you need more of it than nitric acid. When mixing reagents into hydrochloric acid, you need to pour nitric acid. This will avoid unnecessary splashing of components and therefore chemical burns.
After this, nitric acid is added. It must be poured in a thin stream to avoid dangerous splashes. Do not lean towards the test tube, as acid vapors are dangerous if they enter the respiratory tract or eyes. Pour in the reagents at arm's length from your face.
The resulting composition of acids should be mixed very carefully with a stick. Do not shake the solution too vigorously, as this is very dangerous. The aqua regia is ready when the sediment falls to the bottom of the container in which it is located.

At first its color will be yellow, like hydrochloric acid. Within an hour, the solution will change color to dark orange. This will be proof that the reaction was correct.

Ancient alchemists called gold the “king of metals.” Ordinary acids do not act on gold, so when an acid was discovered that could dissolve this noble metal, alchemists called it “regia vodka” ( Aqua regia- it is more correct to translate from Latin as “royal water”). Aqua regia can dissolve not only gold, but also platinum.

What is aqua regia? This is a mixture of two acids - hydrochloric and nitric in a ratio of 3:1 (three parts by volume of hydrochloric acid to 1 part by volume of nitric acid). Aqua regia is a yellow liquid with the smell of chlorine and nitrogen oxides.

Aqua regia was first obtained by the Italian alchemist Bonaventura in 1270. It is curious that at that time hydrochloric acid was not yet known to science. Aqua regia was then prepared by distilling a mixture of saltpeter, copper sulfate and alum with the addition of ammonia.

The oxidizing properties of aqua regia disappear during storage because chlorine evaporates from it in air, and it is this that is the main one in oxidation reactions. Therefore, only freshly prepared reagent is suitable for work.

How does aqua regia act on noble metals?

First, nitric acid reacts with hydrochloric acid. In this case, two strong oxidizing agents are formed - nitrosyl chloride and chlorine:

HNO 3 + 3HCl = NOCl + Cl 2 + 2H 2 O.

These two reagents in pairs are able to oxidize gold even at room temperature:

Au + NOCl 2 + Cl 2 = AuCl 3 + NO.

The resulting gold chloride AuCl 3 immediately adds another molecule of hydrochloric acid HCl, forming tetrachloroauric acid (known as “gold chloride”):

AuCl 3 + HCl = H].

The total reaction of gold oxidation with aqua regia looks like this:

Au + 4HCl + HNO 3 = H + NO + 2H 2 O.

Tetrachlorauric acid crystallizes with four water molecules: H(AuCl 4) · 4H 2 O. Its crystals are light yellow, the aqueous solution is also yellowish.

The reaction with platinum proceeds similarly with the formation of chloroplatinic acid H2:

3Pt + 18 HCl + 4HNO 3 = 3 H 2 + 4NO + 8H 2 O

It is very simple to obtain pure gold from tetrachloroauric acid hydrate: you need to heat it. When heated, “gold chloride” decomposes to release HCl and reddish-brown crystals of gold (III) chloride AuCl 3 . If you treat a solution of gold(III) chloride with caustic alkali NaOH, yellow-brown gold(III) hydroxide Au(OH)3 precipitates, which when heated turns into gold oxide Au2O3. And gold oxide decomposes at temperatures above 220°: 2Au 2 O 3 = 4Au + 3O 2.

By the way...

Gold, in addition to aqua regia, also dissolves in hot concentrated selenic acid:

2Au + 6H 2 SeO 4 = Au 2 (SeO 4) 3 + 3H 2 SeO 3 + 3H 2 O.

Unique property Aqua regia was used by the famous Danish physicist, Nobel Prize winner Niels Bohr, during World War II. In 1943, fleeing the Nazi occupiers, he was forced to leave Copenhagen. But he kept two gold Nobel medals of his colleagues - German anti-fascist physicists James Frank and Max von Laue (Bohr's own medal was taken from Denmark earlier). Not risking taking the medals with him, the scientist dissolved them in aqua regia and placed the unremarkable bottle further away on a shelf where many similar bottles and vials with various liquids were gathering dust. Returning to his laboratory after the war, Bohr first of all found a precious bottle. At his request, the staff isolated the gold from the solution and re-made both medals.

Gold solvents are substances that can act on the precious metal and transform the element for some time. Many may ask, why dissolve gold? This process is intended primarily to purify precious metals from impurities and effectively recycle waste.

Dissolving gold in aqua regia

Dissolution process

By dissolving gold, it is possible, using subsequent processes, to achieve a higher standard, that is, to increase the amount of precious metal in the alloy. The process occurs in three stages:

Dissolution of gold with impurities.
Evaporation.
Precious metal deposition.

It is for the first stage that solvents are needed. But not every potent substance is suitable for such purposes. Gold is a noble metal, which means the substance is inert in relation to many reagents. But at the same time, there are acids or mixtures that can dissolve gold.

Dissolving is a complex process, but it can be done at home. For example, before cleaning scrap or extracting precious metal from radio components. But before adding reagents to products, it is worth clearing the scrap of impurities. For example, using a magnet to get rid of ferromagnets. Then the scrap can be dipped in nitrous acid to immediately get rid of some of the metals.

Reagents (substances) for the first stage of purification

Among the reagents that can be used to dissolve gold, the most famous and used is aqua regia, or Aqua Regia. The substance is very popular; it is even studied in chemistry lessons at school. How to dissolve gold in aqua regia is a question that worries home experimenters. The composition of aqua regia is a mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids in a ratio of 1:3 by volume and 1:2 by weight. About 65-67% is nitric acid by weight and 33-36% is hydrochloric acid.

The reagent was nicknamed Tsarsky because it could dissolve the “king of metals,” but vodka was originally a liquid substance. Much later, the meaning of this word became associated with alcoholic drink. From a chemical point of view, the reaction results in a substance - chlorauric acid, or water tetrachloroaurate.

The process formula looks like this: Au + HNO3 + 4 HCl = HAuCl4 + NO + 2 H2O. Therefore, based on the equation, 5 milliliters of aqua regia are needed to dissolve 1 gram of gold. In the reaction, it is hydrochloric acid that is the solvent, and nitric acid acts as a catalyst, that is, it accelerates the process and compensates for the reaction.

Therefore, during the dissolution process, it is best to take 3.75 milliliters of hydrochloric acid per gram of gold scrap. After a visible reaction begins to occur, keep the metal in the solution for up to 5 minutes and drain the acid, then fill it with a new portion of the substance. Next, place the container with the crowbar and acid on the stove and heat the mixture by pouring nitric acid into it in a proportion of 1.25 milliliters per 1 gram of metal.

All reagents must be calculated, especially nitric acid. It is this substance that will have to be disposed of during the process of filtration and sedimentation. After dissolving the metal, do not add nitric acid to the solution. After completing the dissolution process, it is necessary to keep the resulting mixture heated for about 30 minutes.

The next stage will be the filtration of gold, which occurs with the help of other substances. Filtration is a two-stage process. Before filtration, after dissolution, you need to let the solution sit for about a day, since during this time the acids in the aqua regia evaporate. The substance itself is unstable, which makes subsequent purification of the precious metal easier.

Gold precipitation

Of all existing substances not only vodka copes with the processes of dissolution of the noble metal. The following applies to gold:

Ozone. As a result, Au2O3 oxide is formed Brown. IN normal conditions reaction is impossible, it is necessary a large number of concentrated ozone.
Gaseous fluorine, bromine, iodine, and chlorine also dissolve gold when heated. As a result of the process, fluoride AuF3, red chloride AuCl3, brown bromide AuBr3 and dark green iodide AuI3 are formed. Therefore, if you have gold-plated jewelry, it is better to avoid contact with iodine tincture. The precious metal is able to dissolve in liquid bromine, and it reacts with chlorine water at room temperature, forming HAuCl4.
Gold also dissolves in concentrated hot selenic acid. During the reaction, the acid is reduced to selenium. Chemists write the procedure as follows: 2Au + 6H2SeO4 = Au2(SeO4)3 + 3H2Se03 + 3H20.
To dissolve the precious metal, you need to add an oxidizing agent to hot sulfuric acid. Nitrate, permanganate, chromic acid, and manganese dioxide are used as oxidizing agents.
The process can also be carried out using cyanides of alkali and alkaline earth metals. The reaction occurs even at normal temperature with access to oxygen. But as a result, the combination of gold and cyanide turns out to be very strong, so for industrial purposes the method is used to purify mined gold from ores. 4Au + 8KN + 2H2O + O2 = 4K[Au(CN)2] + 4KOH - this is what the reaction looks like. It was discovered and studied by the Russian scientist-engineer Bagration. The process was called cyanidation.
There is also an anodic dissolution of gold in KOH alkali, in which the precious metal forms potassium aurate and an anodic precipitate.

The nobility of gold, from the point of view of modern chemistry, is still not as perfect as we would like. Of course, it is dangerous to carry out these reactions at home, but in laboratories and factories it is possible to observe them. These reactions make it possible to use raw materials in the form of gold more economically, as well as to make the precious metal purer. Before performing reactions, ensure that all reagents are prepared correctly and safety precautions are followed.

And in order to protect your gold product from negative reactions, it is better not to come into contact with iodine tincture. Jewelry with a lower precious metal composition should be especially protected from exposure to substances, since the ligature reacts faster to chemical reagents.

Aqua regia is a composition of concentrated hydrochloric and nitric acids in a volume ratio of 1:3. This synthesis has the strongest oxidizing ability, even dissolving gold. But why is it called that? It’s simple, aqua regia is capable of dissolving the “king of metals,” that is, gold, and vodka is a gentle vodka. In the writings of Albertus Magnus this substance was referred to as “aqua secunda”, secondary vodka; later other alchemists in their writings called it “aqua regia (regis)”.

History of royal vodka

The turning point in the development of chemistry was the 13th century, when alchemists discovered strong mineral acids capable of dissolving many water-insoluble substances. Before this, the world only knew about acetic acid, known since ancient times. Newly discovered acids turned out to be a million times stronger, which brought alchemy to The New Frontier, because it has become possible to produce many chemical processes and reactions. So nitric acid was soon discovered, called “aqua fortis” - strong water, corroding everything that came into contact with it, with the exception of gold, all metals known at that time. Three centuries later, hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid) was discovered.

In 1597, alchemist Andreas Libavia first described the preparation of aqua regia by mixing a concentrate of nitric and hydrochloric acid. Before this, there were attempts to obtain alkahest by distilling it in glass vessel dry mixture of saltpeter, ammonia, copper sulfate and alum and covering with a lid or cap. This method was described in the 14th century by the alchemist Pseudo-Geber, but it was very painstaking and complex, and besides, such a mixture could cope with silver, but gold was beyond his control. And in the 16th century, a universal solvent was finally found and the invention of “aqua regia” contributed to the development of technical chemistry and the improvement of assay analysis.

What acids does aqua regia consist of?

As for the composition of aqua regia, it turned out that the chemical mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acid, when interacting with its components, enhances its abilities several times. The mixture turned out to be so strong that gold and even platinum dissolve in it at a ratio of 1:4 (hydrochloric acid, when reacting with nitric acid, releases chlorine, and the solution turns green, and particles of free chlorine attack gold).

The interaction formula looks like this:
Nitric acid oxidizes hydrochloric acid
HNO3 + 3HCl = NOCl + Cl2 + 2H2O.
During this process, two active substances appear: nitrosyl chloride and chlorine, which are able to dissolve gold:
Au + NOCl2 + Cl2 = AuCl3 + NO.

Gold chloride instantly attaches a HCl molecule to itself, resulting in the formation of tetrachloroauric acid, also popularly known as “gold chloride”: AuCl3 + HCl = H (AuCl4).

Preparation of aqua regia at home should be carried out in compliance with all safety measures and in a well-ventilated area.
To prepare aqua regia, you will need to acquire two main ingredients: concentrated hydrochloric and nitric acid.
We also strongly recommend using only glass test tubes (with marks) and a glass rod for uniform stirring " explosive mixture" The original composition is a mixture of two acids in a quantitative ratio of 1: 3. Mix using only one test tube, do not measure acids in other containers, this way you minimize the chance of acid spillage.
Now you need to discuss separately those components that you will have to deal with when making aqua regia.

Nitric acid

Monoprotic acid, sensitive to light, has a very pungent suffocating odor. Nitric acid will decompose into nitric oxide and water under strong light. In this regard, one of the strongest acids is stored in a dark or opaque container. A concentrated solution of nitric acid does not dissolve aluminum and iron, so it can be safely stored in a metal container.

I would like to note that nitric acid is a very strong electrolyte (like most acids) and an oxidizing agent. Very interesting fact, is that nitric acid (like ozone) can be formed in the atmosphere during strong lightning flashes. Compound atmospheric air consists of 78% Nitrogen, which reacts with atmospheric oxygen. This reaction produces nitric oxide (NO). Subsequently, with further oxidation on outdoors Nitric oxide is converted into nitrogen dioxide (NO2 or as it is also called brown gas). When atmospheric moisture reacts with nitrogen dioxide, nitric acid is produced. The concentration in such cases is minimal, and it is not at all dangerous for people, animals and nature.

Hydrochloric acid

The second component of aqua regia is hydrochloric acid. This acid is colorless, in the open air it emits steam in the form of “smoke”, a very caustic liquid (hydrochloric acid of technical significance may have a yellowish tint due to the presence of iron and chlorine impurities in it).

When we're talking about O physical properties hydrochloric acid, it should be noted here strong point when all metals (which are in the voltage series up to hydrogen) are dissolved, H2 is released and chloride salts are formed). You need to be very careful when using this acid, carry out work or experiments outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, since the acid has a very pungent odor and strongly irritates the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract of the human body.

The production of hydrochloric acid occurs by dissolving hydrogen chloride gas in ordinary water(H2O). In turn, hydrogen chloride can be obtained by reacting sodium chloride with highly concentrated sulfuric acid.

Uses of aqua regia

Many Soviet and post-Soviet families knew the composition of royal vodka by heart. People use it to dissolve gold at home, in order to extract pure gold from microcircuits, transistors, wristwatch and other unnecessary devices that contain a small amount of gold.

The main aspect of the successful completion you envisioned chemical experiment There is safety with aqua regia. Use the funds personal protection, follow safety rules, be extremely vigilant and attentive, your life and health will be at stake.