Write one reaction of h202 which can prove what it is an oxidising agent in acidic medium ?
Answers
My chemistry books details out both, the oxidizing and reducing properties of hydrogen peroxide, H2O2.
Its reducing properties:
It reduces Cl to HCl
It reduces Ag2O to Ag
It reduces K3[Fe(CN)6] (potassium ferricyanide) to K4[Fe(CN)6] (potassium ferrocyanide)
Etc.
Half equations for reduction:
In acidic medium: H2O2⟶2H++O2+2e−
In basic medium: H2O2+2OH−⟶2H2O+O2+2e−
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−⟶2H2O
In basic medium: H2O2+2e−⟶2OH−
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.