Potassium hydrogen sulfate

Potassium bisulfate is the potassium

Potassium

Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K , atomic number 19, and atomic mass 39.0983. Potassium was first isolated from potash...

 salt of bisulfate anion, with the molecular formula KHSO₄. This compound is commonly used in the conversion of tartrates to bitartrates in wine. Potassium bisulfate is also used as a disintegrating agent in analytical chemistry

Analytical chemistry

Analytical chemistry is the study of the chemical composition of natural and artificial materials. Properties studied in analytical chemistry include geometric features such as molecular morphologies and distributions of species, as well as features such as composition and species identity...

.

A solution

Solution

In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. Gases may dissolve in liquids, for example, carbon dioxide or oxygen in water. Liquids may dissolve in other liquids. Gases can...

 of potassium bisulfate behaves as if the two related compounds (K₂SO₄ and H₂SO₄) were side by side uncombined. Adding ethanol

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug, best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages and in modern thermometers. Ethanol is one of the oldest recreational drugs...

to a solution of potassium bisulfate precipitates out sulfate.

Mercallite, the mineralogical form of potassium bisulfate, occurs very rarely. Misenite is the other, more complex, potassium hydrogen sulfate.