H2o2 acting as an oxidizing agent in acidic solution why
Answers
Answered by
1
My chemistry books details out both, the oxidizing and reducing properties of hydrogen peroxide, H2O2HX2OX2.
Its reducing properties:
It reduces ClCl to HClHCl
It reduces Ag2OAgX2O to AgAg
It reduces K3[Fe(CN)6]KX3[Fe(CN)X6] (potassium ferricyanide) to K4[Fe(CN)6]KX4[Fe(CN)X6](potassium ferrocyanide)
Etc.
Half equations for reduction:
In acidic medium: H2O2⟶2H++O2+2e−HX2OX2⟶2HX++OX2+2eX−
In basic medium: H2O2+2OH−⟶2H2O+O2+2e−HX2OX2+2OHX−⟶2HX2O+OX2+2eX−
Its oxidizing properties:
It oxidizes sulphites to sulphates
It oxidizes arsenites to arsenates
It oxidizes nitrites to nitrates
It oxidizes potassium ferricyanide to potassium ferrocyanide
Etc.
Half equations for oxidation:
In acidic medium: H2O2+2H++2e−⟶2H2OHX2OX2+2HX++2eX−⟶2HX2O
In basic medium: H2O2+2e−⟶2OH−HX2OX2+2eX−⟶2OHX−
I was unable to find any pattern in all of the reactions I studied above (except for potassium ferrocyanide, for which the medium triggers the electron addition/removal) to recognize when hydrogen peroxide behaves as an oxidising agent and when it behaves as a reducing agent.
Its reducing properties:
It reduces ClCl to HClHCl
It reduces Ag2OAgX2O to AgAg
It reduces K3[Fe(CN)6]KX3[Fe(CN)X6] (potassium ferricyanide) to K4[Fe(CN)6]KX4[Fe(CN)X6](potassium ferrocyanide)
Etc.
Half equations for reduction:
In acidic medium: H2O2⟶2H++O2+2e−HX2OX2⟶2HX++OX2+2eX−
In basic medium: H2O2+2OH−⟶2H2O+O2+2e−HX2OX2+2OHX−⟶2HX2O+OX2+2eX−
Its oxidizing properties:
It oxidizes sulphites to sulphates
It oxidizes arsenites to arsenates
It oxidizes nitrites to nitrates
It oxidizes potassium ferricyanide to potassium ferrocyanide
Etc.
Half equations for oxidation:
In acidic medium: H2O2+2H++2e−⟶2H2OHX2OX2+2HX++2eX−⟶2HX2O
In basic medium: H2O2+2e−⟶2OH−HX2OX2+2eX−⟶2OHX−
I was unable to find any pattern in all of the reactions I studied above (except for potassium ferrocyanide, for which the medium triggers the electron addition/removal) to recognize when hydrogen peroxide behaves as an oxidising agent and when it behaves as a reducing agent.
Similar questions