Question

auto oxidation reduction of chlorine

Answer 1

An auto oxidation reduction reaction is the one in which chlorine gets oxidized as well as reduced.

for example reaction of chlorine with water gives HCl in which chlorine is negatively charged indicating reduction, and HOCl in which chlorine is positively charged indicating oxidation.

Cl2 + H2O ---------> HCl + HOCl

due to auto oxidation and reduction reaction positively charged chlorine is liberated that acts has strong oxidizing agent....because chlorine is a non metal and it does not occur in cationic form so it acts as electron snatcher thereby oxidizing the reacting substance.

for example the reaction of dilute NaOH with Cl gives NaCl , NaOCl and water

2 NaOH + Cl2 ------------> NaCl + NaOCl + H2O

In Nacl chlorine is oxidised and in NaOCl chlorine is reduced indication auto oxidation and reduction reaction of chlorine.

The reaction is significant since it gives useful compounds like NaCl , NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) and NaClO3 (Sodium hypochlorate ) etc.