Alkali salt

Alkali salts or base salts are salts that are the product of incomplete <a href="/facts/Neutralization_(chemistry)/WC1c5fj1">neutralization</a> of a <a href="/facts/Base_(chemistry)/M9wA7qeM">strong base</a> and a <a href="/facts/Acid_strength/vJ4rj6Lu">weak acid</a>.
Rather than being neutral (as some other <a href="/facts/Salt_(chemistry)/lsSKwGpn">salts</a>), alkali salts are <a href="/facts/Base_(chemistry)/M9wA7qeM">bases</a> as their name suggests. What makes these compounds basic is that the conjugate base from the weak acid hydrolyzes to form a basic solution. In <a href="/facts/Sodium_carbonate/P6RHvIoK">sodium carbonate</a>, for example, the <a href="/facts/Carbonate/FES1QHkN">carbonate</a> from the <a href="/facts/Carbonic_acid/fjjVAhwt">carbonic acid</a> <a href="/facts/Hydrolyze/JTvwIHPs">hydrolyzes</a> to form a basic solution. The chloride from the <a href="/facts/Hydrochloric_acid/HqItJlUT">hydrochloric acid</a> in <a href="/facts/Sodium_chloride/MWcXl3Mb">sodium chloride</a> does not hydrolyze, though, so sodium chloride is not basic.
The difference between a basic salt and an alkali is that an alkali is the soluble hydroxide compound of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. A basic salt is any salt that hydrolyzes to form a basic solution. 
Another definition of a basic salt would be a salt that contains amounts of both hydroxide and other anions. <a href="/facts/White_lead/MoKMLsH9">White lead</a> is an example. It is basic lead carbonate, or lead carbonate hydroxide. 
These materials are known for their high levels of dissolution in polar solvents.
These salts are insoluble and are obtained through <a href="/facts/Precipitation_reaction/s3BgsLLY">precipitation reactions</a>.

Alkali salt open-in-new

Alkali salt