M 1697 (OTTO) Mercuric nitrate, GR 99%+ Cas 778-34-8 - used in reactions involving ketones. One of the chemicals which it is most effective with is acetone. This reaction uses mercuric nitrate, mercuric oxide, and calcium sulfate to change acetone, which is CH3C(O)CH3, into CH3C(O)CH2Hg. Acetone is a compound for which most other methods of mercuration prove ineffective.