Mercury(II) thiocyanate (
Hg(
SCN)
2) is a
chemical compound. It was formerly used in
pyrotechnics for the long snake-like ash
Pharaoh's serpent that forms when a pellet of this compound, often with a small amount of a sugar such as
glucose added to serve as supplemental fuel, is ignited. This is extremely dangerous because it produces poisonous mercury vapors.
Mercury(II) thiocyanate is made by reacting a mercury(II) salt (such as mercury(II) chloride) with a thiocyanate salt (such as potassium thiocyanate) in solution in water, producing a precipitate of mercury(II) thiocyanate.
Conditions/substances to avoid are: moisture, heat, light, aluminium and strong acids.
References