Uses
Barium hydroxide is used in analytical chemistry for the titration of weak acids, particularly organic acids. Its clear aqueous solution is guaranteed to be free of carbonate, unlike those of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, as barium carbonate is insoluble in water. This allows the use of indicators such as phenolphthalein or thymolphthalein (with alkaline colour changes) without the risk of titration errors due to the presence of carbonate ions, which are much less basic.
Barium hydroxide is used in organic synthesis as a strong base, for example for the hydrolysis of esters and nitriles.
It has been used to hydrolyse one of the two equivalent ester groups in dimethyl hendecanedioate.
It is also used in the preparation of cyclopentanone, diacetone alcohol and -Gulonic γ-lactone.
Barium hydroxide is used in a demonstration of endothermic reactions since, when mixed with an ammonium salt, the reaction becomes cold as heat is absorbed from the surroundings.
Read more about this topic: Barium Hydroxide