... but nitroalkane salts, apart from being explosive, also tend to partially decompose into aldehydes(ketones) and NO2 upon acidification.
If one is to add acid into the salt's solution slowly, then up to 85% yield can bee achieved (IIRC - can't remember, read somewhere on The Hive); if you add salt into xcess acid, the carbonyl cpd is the main product and this is generally known as Nef reaction
Antoncho
P.S. Please, forgive me for being off-topic, but , MAYBEE, someone can think of any other method that can bee used to free nitroethane from - specifically -
ethyl nitrite impurity? Beelive me, bees, this is of a very practical and very immediate imporatnce to SWIM!