Magnesium Chlorate, Mg(ClO₃)₂

Magnesium Chlorate, Mg(ClO₃)₂.6H₂O, occurs in deliquescent crystals which are soluble in water and in alcohol, melt in their own water at 40° C., and decompose at 120° C. into water, chlorine, oxygen, and magnesium oxide.

It is prepared by passing chlorine into a hot suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water, or by decomposing barium chlorate with magnesium sulphate.

According to Meusser, the hexahydrate loses 2 molecules of water at 35° C. and other 2 at 65° C. The tetrahydrate crystallises in hygroscopic rhombohedra and the dihydrate decomposes at 80° C.