The compound is commonly encountered as the anhydrous form or as the monohydrateNaHC2O4·H2O. Both are colorless crystalline solids at ambient temperature.
The monohydrate can be obtained by evaporating a solution of the compound at room temperature.[4]
The crystal structure of NaHC2O4·H2O is triclinic normal (pinacoidal, space groupP1). The lattice parameters are a = 650.3 pm, b = 667.3 pm, c = 569.8 pm, α = 85.04°, β = 110.00°, γ = 105.02°, and Z = 2. The hydrogen oxalate ions are linked end to end in infinite chains by hydrogen bonds (257.1 pm). The chains are cross linked to form layers by both O−H···O bonds from the water molecules (280.8 pm, 282.6 pm) and by ionic bondsNa+···O. These layers are in turn held together by Na+···O bonds. The oxalate group is non-planar with an angle of twist about the C−C bond of 12.9°.[5]
The health hazards posed by this compound are largely due to its acidity and to the toxic effects of oxalic acid and other oxalate or hydrogenoxalate salts, which can follow ingestion or absorption through the skin. The toxic effects include necrosis of tissues due to sequestration of calcium ions Ca2+, and the formation of poorly soluble calcium oxalatestones in the kidneys that can obstruct the kidney tubules.[2]
^C. Ramki, R. Ezhil Vizhi (2017): "Growth, optical, electrical and mechanical properties of sodium hydrogen oxalate hydrate (NaHC2O4·H2O) single crystal for NLO applications". Materials Chemistry and Physics, volume 197, pages 70-78. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2017.04.066
^Roland Tellgren and Ivar Olovsson (1971): "Hydrogen Bond Studies. XXXXVI. The Crystal Structures of Normal and Deuterated Sodium Hydrogen Oxalate Monohydrate NaHC2O4·H2O and NaDC2O4·D2O". Journal of Chemical Physics, volume 54, issue 1. doi:10.1063/1.1674582
^W. Balcerowiak; Cz. Latocha; J. Wasilewski (1980). "Thermoanalytical investigation of mixtures containing oxalic acid, sodium hydrogen oxalate and sodium oxalate". Journal of Thermal Analysis. 18: 57–63. doi:10.1007/BF01909453. S2CID98061114.