Nitric acid fuming nitric acid at concentrations above 86%. Nitric acid is the primary reagent used for nitration – the addition of a nitro group, typically to an organic molecule. While some resulting nitro compounds are shock- and thermally-sensitive explosives, a few are stable enough to be used in munitions and demolition, while others are still more stable and used as pigments in inks and dyes. Nitric acid is also commonly used as a strong oxidizing agent. Commercially available nitric acid is an azeotrope with water at a concentration of 68% HNO, which is the ordinary concentrated nitric acid of commerce. This
Periodic acid Periodic acid Periodic acid ( "per-iodic") is the highest oxoacid of iodine, in which the iodine exists in oxidation state VII. Like all periodates it can exist in two forms: orthoperiodic acid, with the chemical formula HIO and metaperiodic acid, which has the formula HIO. Periodic acid was discovered by Heinrich Gustav Magnus and C. F. Ammermüller in 1833. Modern industrial scale production involves the electrochemical oxidation of iodic acid, on a PbO anode, with the following standard electrode potential: Orthoperiodic acid can be dehydrated to give metaperiodic acid by heating to 100 °C Further heating to around 150 °C