Trimagnesium phosphate
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Through Water of crystallization
The octahydrate forms upon reaction of stoichiometric quantities of monomagnesium phosphate (tetrahydrate) with magnesium hydroxide.
- Mg(H2PO4)2•4H2O + 2 Mg(OH)2 → Mg3(PO4)2•8H2O
The octahydrate is found in nature as the mineral bobierrite.
The anhydrous compound is obtained by heating the hydrates to 400 °C. It is isostructural with cobalt(II) phosphate. The metal ions occupy both octahedral (six-coordinate) and pentacoordinate sites in a 1:2 ratio.
Safety
Magnesium phosphate tribasic is listed on the FDA's generally recognized as safe, or GRAS, list of substances.