Nitratoauric acid, hydrogen tetranitratoaurate, or simply called gold(III) nitrate is a crystalline gold compound that forms the trihydrate, or more correctly . This compound is an intermediate in the process of extracting gold. In older literature it is also known as aurinitric acid.
Nitratoauric acid is prepared by the reaction of gold(III) hydroxide and concentrated nitric acid at 100 ðC:
This compound reacts with potassium nitrate to form potassium tetranitratoaurate at 0 ðC:
Nitratoauric acid trihydrate decomposes to the monohydrate at 72 ðC. If continually heated to 203 ðC, it decomposes to auric oxide.
The production of the simple nitrate (Au(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub>) was reported from the reaction of gold oxide and dinitrogen pentoxide, however, this was later proven to be nitronium tetranitratoaurate ((NO<sub>2</sub>)Au(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>).
However, the ammine complex of the simple gold nitrate is known. Au(NH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub>, also known as tetraamminegold(III) nitrate, is produced by the addition of ammonium nitrate to a solution of chloroauric acid. The hydrolysis of this compound produces fulminating gold.