The speciation and equilibria of sodium metatungstate,
Na6[H2W12O40],
has been determined by a combination of 183W n.m.r.
spectroscopy and gravimetry over the p[H] range 4.5–10.0. The
use of n.m.r. spectroscopy allowed the direct observation of polytungstate
anions in aqueous solution and high concentration (0.25 mol
l–1). Sodium metatungstate, with the progressive
addition of base, was found to decompose to paratungstate A,
[W7O24]6–.
Paratungstate A then slowly converted to paratungstate B,
[H2W12O42]10–.
The kinetics of equilibrium was found to be slow, requiring up to 8 months to
stabilize. With the addition of further base paratungstate B decomposed to
orthotungstate, WO42–.
Logarithmic constants (logK) for these transformations
were determined as 195, 20 and 118, respectively. The solubility product for
sodium paratungstate B was determined to be 6.89 ( 0.80)
10–6.