Redox reactions, solution

Electron transfer can be established experimentally in reactions involving only ions in solution. Inert electrodes, made from platinum, are used to transfer electrons to and from the ions. The apparatus used is shown in Figure 4.3. the redox reaction being considered... 

The problem in any quantitative volumetric analysis for ions in solution is to determine accurately the equivalence point. This is often found by using an indicator, but in redox reactions it can often... 

Although this treatment of buffers was based on acid-base chemistry, the idea of a buffer is general and can be extended to equilibria involving complexation or redox reactions. For example, the Nernst equation for a solution containing Fe + and Fe + is similar in form to the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. 

Balance the following redox reactions, and calculate the standard-state potential and the equilibrium constant for each. Assume that the [H3O+] is 1 M for acidic solutions, and that the [OH ] is 1 M for basic solutions. 

The potential of a redox reaction for a specific set of solution conditions, such as pH and ionic composition. 

The largest division of interfacial electrochemical methods is the group of dynamic methods, in which current flows and concentrations change as the result of a redox reaction. Dynamic methods are further subdivided by whether we choose to control the current or the potential. In controlled-current coulometry, which is covered in Section IIC, we completely oxidize or reduce the analyte by passing a fixed current through the analytical solution. Controlled-potential methods are subdivided further into controlled-potential coulometry and amperometry, in which a constant potential is applied during the analysis, and voltammetry, in which the potential is systematically varied. Controlled-potential coulometry is discussed in Section IIC, and amperometry and voltammetry are discussed in Section IID. 

The potential of a metallic electrode is determined by the position of a redox reaction at the electrode-solution interface. Three types of metallic electrodes are commonly used in potentiometry, each of which is considered in the following discussion. 

Influence of the Kinetics of Electron Transfer on the Faradaic Current The rate of mass transport is one factor influencing the current in a voltammetric experiment. The ease with which electrons are transferred between the electrode and the reactants and products in solution also affects the current. When electron transfer kinetics are fast, the redox reaction is at equilibrium, and the concentrations of reactants and products at the electrode are those specified by the Nernst equation. Such systems are considered electrochemically reversible. In other systems, when electron transfer kinetics are sufficiently slow, the concentration of reactants and products at the electrode surface, and thus the current, differ from that predicted by the Nernst equation. In this case the system is electrochemically irreversible. 

Earlier we described a voltammogram as the electrochemical equivalent of a spectrum in spectroscopy. In this section we consider how quantitative and qualitative information may be extracted from a voltammogram. Quantitative information is obtained by relating current to the concentration of analyte in the bulk solution. Qualitative information is obtained from the voltammogram by extracting the standard-state potential for the redox reaction. For simplicity we only consider voltammograms similar to that shown in Figure 11.33a. 

Determining Equilibrium Constants for Coupled Chemical Reactions Another important application of voltammetry is the determination of equilibrium constants for solution reactions that are coupled to a redox reaction occurring at the electrode. The presence of the solution reaction affects the ease of electron transfer, shifting the potential to more negative or more positive potentials. Consider, for example, the reduction of O to R... 

A number of electronic and photochemical processes occur following band gap excitation of a semiconductor. Figure 5 illustrates a sequence of photochemical and photophysical events and the possible redox reactions which might occur at the surface of the SC particle in contact with a solution. Absorption of light energy greater than or equal to the band gap of the semiconductor results in a shift of electrons from the valence band (VB) to... 

Chemical, or abiotic, transformations are an important fate of many pesticides. Such transformations are ubiquitous, occurring in either aqueous solution or sorbed to surfaces. Rates can vary dramatically depending on the reaction mechanism, chemical stmcture, and relative concentrations of such catalysts as protons, hydroxyl ions, transition metals, and clay particles. Chemical transformations can be genetically classified as hydrolytic, photolytic, or redox reactions (transfer of electrons). 

Stannous Sulfate. Stannous sulfate (tin(Il) sulfate), mol wt 214.75, SnSO, is a white crystalline powder which decomposes above 360°C. Because of internal redox reactions and a residue of acid moisture, the commercial product tends to discolor and degrade at ca 60°C. It is soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid and in water (330 g/L at 25°C). The solubihty in sulfuric acid solutions decreases as the concentration of free sulfuric acid increases. Stannous sulfate can be prepared from the reaction of excess sulfuric acid (specific gravity 1.53) and granulated tin for several days at 100°C until the reaction has ceased. Stannous sulfate is extracted with water and the aqueous solution evaporates in vacuo. Methanol is used to remove excess acid. It is also prepared by reaction of stannous oxide and sulfuric acid and by the direct electrolysis of high grade tin metal in sulfuric acid solutions of moderate strength in cells with anion-exchange membranes (36). 

A comprehensive list of standard potentials is found in Ref. 7. Table 2-3 gives a few values for redox reactions. Since most metal ions react with OH ions to form solid corrosion products giving protective surface films, it is appropriate to represent the corrosion behavior of metals in aqueous solutions in terms of pH and Ufj. Figure 2-2 shows a Pourbaix diagram for the system Fe/HjO. The boundary lines correspond to the equilibria ... 

Redox reactions are particularly instructive. If all thermodynamically allowed reactions in liquid NH3 were kinetically rapid, then no oxidizing agent more powerful than N2 and no reducing agent more powerful than H2 could exist in this solvent. Using data for solutions at 25° ... 

The aqueous solution chemistiy of nitrous acid and nitrites has been extensively studied. Some reduction potentials involving these species are given in Table 11.4 (p. 434) and these form a useful summaiy of their redox reactions. Nitrites are quantitatively oxidized to nitrate by permanganate and this reaction is used in titrimetric analysis. Nitrites (and HNO2) are readily reduced to NO and N2O with SO2, to H2N2O2 with Sn(II), and to NH3 with H2S. Hydrazinium salts yield azides (p. 432) which can then react with further HNO2 ... 

For an interfering redox reaction at an ion-selective membrane, the overpotential t B can be easily determined experimentally. It is the potential difference between the ion-selective membrane and an inert redox electrode in the same solution containing the measured ion and an interfering redox system. 

Another common type of reaction in aqueous solution involves a transfer of electrons between two species. Such a reaction is called an oxidation-reduction or redox reaction. Many familiar reactions fit into this category, including the reaction of metals with acid. 

Stoichiometric calculations for redox reactions in water solution are carried out in much the same way as those for precipitation reactions (Example 4.5) or acid-base reactions (Example 4.7). 

Click Coached Problems for a self-study module on redox reactions in solution. 

When a piece of zinc is added to a water solution containing Cu2+ ions, the following redox reaction takes place ... 

Nowadays, the gold content of ores is much too low for these simple mechanical separation methods to be effective. Instead, the ore is treated with very dilute (0.01 M) sodium cyanide solution, through which air is blown. The following redox reaction takes place ... 

The amount of sodium hypochlorite in a bleach solution can be determined by using a given volume of bleach to oxidize excess iodide ion to iodine CIO- is reduced to Cl-. The amount of iodine produced by the redox reaction is determined by titration with sodium thiosulfate, Na2S203 I2 is reduced to I-. The sodium thiosulfate is oxidized to sodium tetrathionate, Na2S406. In this analysis, potassium iodide was added in excess to 5.00 ml of bleach d = 1.00 g/cm3). If 25.00 mL of 0.0700 MNa2S203 was required to reduce all the iodine produced by the bleach back to iodide, what is the mass percent of NaCIO in the bleach ... 

Many oxidation-reduction reactions (nicknamed redox reactions) take place in aqueous solution. One of these was mentioned in Section 11-2.1 when we characterized acids ... 

If ethene is bubbled through a methanolic solution of RhCl3.3H20, red-orange crystals of [RhCl(C2H4)2]2 precipitate in a redox reaction. 

Hydroxy radicals are produced by redox reactions involving hydrogen peroxide (see 3.3.2.6.2). They can also be generated in organic solution by thermal decomposition of a-hydroperoxydiazenes (see 3.3.3.1). 

A phenomenological model for redox reactions in solution application to aquocobalt(III) systems. 

The mechanistic assignment of terms in empirical rate laws for complexation and redox reactions of metal ions in aqueous solution acid dependences in perchlorate media. G. Davies, Coord. Chem. 

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