Redox reactions standard state potentials

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 ladder diagram for this system is shown in Figure 11.24a. Initially the potential of the working electrode remains nearly constant at a level near the standard-state potential for the Fe UFe redox couple. As the concentration of Fe + decreases, however, the potential of the working electrode shifts toward more positive values until another oxidation reaction can provide the necessary current. Thus, in this case the potential eventually increases to a level at which the oxidation of H2O occurs. 

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. 

Electrochemical Reversibility and Determination of m In deriving a relationship between 1/2 and the standard-state potential for a redox couple (11.41), we noted that the redox reaction must be reversible. How can we tell if a redox reaction is reversible from its voltammogram For a reversible reaction, equation 11.40 describes the voltammogram. 

The above important relationship now allows evaluation of the thermodynamic driving force of a redox reaction in terms of a measurable cell emf. Moreover, it is possible to utilize the relationship between the standard state potential and the standard state free energy to arrive at an expression for the equilibrium constant of a redox reaction in terms of the emf. Thus... 

Summing these two half-cell reactions produces the overall redox reaction and the calculated standard-state potential,... 

The positive value of suggests that the oxidation of hydroquinone by soluble Fe should occur spontaneously xn6sr standard-state conAitxom. However, the standard-state activities of dissolved ions (in this case Fe ", Fe, and H" ) of unity correspond to concentrations that are absurdly high for soil solution (on the order of 1 molar). The standard-state potential, then, has little use in predicting the favorability of the reaction under conditions likely to prevail in soil solutions. It is necessary to use the Nemst equation (see Chapter 7) to calculate the adjusted redox potential, E, for more realistic reaction conditions ... 

The standard-state electrochemical potential, E°, provides an alternative way of expressing the equilibrium constant for a redox reaction. Since a reaction at equilibrium has a AG of zero, the electrochemical potential, E, also must be zero. Substituting into equation 6.24 and rearranging shows that... 

We have already noted that the standard free energy change for a reaction, AG°, does not reflect the actual conditions in a ceil, where reactants and products are not at standard-state concentrations (1 M). Equation 3.12 was introduced to permit calculations of actual free energy changes under non-standard-state conditions. Similarly, standard reduction potentials for redox couples must be modified to account for the actual concentrations of the oxidized and reduced species. For any redox couple. 

It is clear from what has already been stated that standard reduction potentials may be employed to determine whether redox reactions are sufficiently complete... 

L OX , + eligand coordinated with redox particles and ejsTD, is the electron in the gaseous standard state at the outer potential of the aqueous solution (Refer to Chap. 4.). The following reaction cycle may be used to obtain the energy relationship between the two redox reactions ... 

The two half reactions of any redox reaction together make up an electrochemical cell. This cell has a standard potential difference, E , which is the voltage of the reaction at 25 °C when all substances involved are at unit activity. E refers to the potential difference when the substances are not in the standard state. E for a particular reaction can be found by subtracting one half cell reaction from the other and also subtracting the corresponding voltages. For example for reduction of Fe to Fe by H2, E° = 0.77 - 0 = 0.77 V. A further example is the oxidation of Fe " by solid Mn02 in acid solution. The half cell reactions are. 

Many half-reactions of interest to biochemists involve protons. As in the definition of AG °, biochemists define the standard state for oxidation-reduction reactions as pH 7 and express reduction potential as E °, the standard reduction potential at pH 7. The standard reduction potentials given in Table 13-7 and used throughout this book are values for E ° and are therefore valid only for systems at neutral pH Each value represents the potential difference when the conjugate redox pair, at 1 m concentrations and pH 7, is connected with the standard (pH 0) hydrogen electrode. Notice in Table 13-7 that when the conjugate pair 2ET/H2 at pH 7 is connected with the standard hydrogen electrode (pH 0), electrons tend to flow from the pH 7 cell to the standard (pH 0) cell the measured E ° for the 2ET/H2 pair is -0.414 V... 

Values of E° by definition refer to conditions under which all species are in their standard states at 298 K. For non-standard conditions the electrode potential, E, of a redox reaction is given by the familiar Nernst expression (equation 24), where... 

The standard electrode potential E° of a redox reaction is a measure of the potential that would be developed if both reductants and oxidants were in their standard states at equal concentrations and with unit activities. The units of E° are volts and ° can be calculated from the Gibbs free energy change (AG ) of the redox reaction from the relationships... 

In soil solutions the most important chemical elements that undergo redox reactions are C, N, O, S, Mn, and Fe. For contaminated soils the elements As, Se, Cr, Hg, and Pb could be added. Table 2.4 lists reduction half-reactions (most of which are heterogeneous) and their equilibrium constants at 298.15 K under 1 atm pressure for the six principal elements involved in soil redox phenomena. Although the reactions listed in the table are not full redox reactions, their equilibrium constants have thermodynamic significance and may he calculated with the help of Standard-State chemical potentials in the manner... 

To compete effectively with the photophysical processes, the chemical reactions from the highly energetic CT states should be very fast, otherwise the MC states become populated. On the other hand, redox processes may sometimes occur from other than CT excited states. The phenomenon is a consequence of redox potential changes after excitation, which make the entity in any excited state a much stronger oxidant and a much stronger reducer than the ground state complex, eg the standard oxidation potential of the [Fe(bpy)3]2+ complex is 1.05 V in the ground state and... 

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