Lead stearate

Template:Chembox Lead stearate is a metal-organic compound, a salt of lead and stearic acid with the chemical formula Template:Chem. The compound is classified as a metallic soap, i.e. a metal derivative of a fatty acid. The compound is toxic.

Synthesis

The compound can be prepared by reacting stearic acid, lead(II) oxide, and a catalyst acetic acid.

$\mathrm{2}{\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{1}\mathrm{7}}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{3}\mathrm{5}}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{⟶}\mathrm{(}{\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{1}\mathrm{7}}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{3}\mathrm{5}}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{O}{\mathrm{)}}_{\mathrm{2}}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{+}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{2}}\mathrm{O}$

Also, an exchange reaction between lead(II) acetate and sodium stearate:

$𝖯𝖻\mathsf{(}𝖢{𝖧}_{\mathrm{𝟥}}𝖢𝖮𝖮{\mathsf{)}}_{\mathrm{𝟤}}\mathsf{+}\mathrm{𝟤}𝖭𝖺{𝖢}_{\mathrm{𝟣}\mathrm{𝟪}}{𝖧}_{\mathrm{𝟥}\mathrm{𝟧}}{𝖮}_{\mathrm{𝟤}}\stackrel{}{\to }𝖯𝖻\mathsf{(}{𝖢}_{\mathrm{𝟣}\mathrm{𝟪}}{𝖧}_{\mathrm{𝟥}\mathrm{𝟧}}{𝖮}_{\mathrm{𝟤}}{\mathsf{)}}_{\mathrm{𝟤}}\mathsf{\downarrow }\mathsf{+}\mathrm{𝟤}𝖢{𝖧}_{\mathrm{𝟥}}𝖢𝖮𝖮𝖭𝖺$

Physical properties

White powder with a slight fatty odor. Sinks in water. Hygroscopic in air.

Slightly soluble in water. Soluble in hot ethanol.

Uses

The compound is used as a drier in oil paints and varnishes to speed the polymerization and oxidation processes. Also used as a lubricant and stabilizer in vinyl polymers and as a corrosion inhibitor in petroleum products.