Barium sulfite is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a white powder that finds few applications.
Occurrence It is an intermediate in the carbothermal reduction of barium sulfate to barium sulfide:
It also occurs as an intermediate phase in the aqueous oxidation of BaS to by weathering in slag.
Uses Barium sulfite is used in the hydrolysis of dialdehyde starch by sulfurous acid yielding glyoxal and erythrose. The barium sulfite complexes with the glyoxal, allowing for higher reagent concentrations without loss of yield.
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