IChO 1979 · Theory problem 2

Gravimetric and titrimetric analysis of a Cd-Sn-Bi-Pb alloy

An alloy comprises the following metals: cadmium, tin, bismuth, and lead. A sample of this alloy weighing 1.2860 g, was treated with a solution of concentrated nitric acid. The individual compound of metal A obtained as a precipitate, was separated, thoroughly washed, dried and calcinated. The mass of the precipitate after the calcination to constant mass, was 0.3265 g.

An aqueous ammonia solution was added in excess to the solution obtained after separation of the precipitate. A compound of metal B remained in the solution while all the other metals precipitated in the form of sparingly soluble compounds. The solution was first quantitatively separated from the precipitate, and then hydrogen sulphide was passed through the separated solution to saturation. The resulting precipitate containing metal B was separated, washed and dried. The mass of the precipitate was 0.6613 g.

The precipitate containing the compounds of metals C and D was treated with an excess of a \(\ce{NaOH}\) solution. The solution and the precipitate were then quantitatively separated. A solution of \(\ce{HNO3}\) was added to the alkaline solution to reach pH 5 – 6, and an excess of \(\ce{K2CrO4}\) solution was added to the resulting transparent solution. The yellow precipitate was separated, washed and quantitatively transferred to a beaker. Finally a dilute \(\ce{H2SO4}\) solution and crystalline \(\ce{KI}\) were added. Iodine produced as a result of the reaction was titrated with sodium thiosulphate solution in the presence of starch as an indicator. 18.46 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\) of 0.1512 normal \(\ce{Na2S2O3}\) solution were required.

The last metal contained in the precipitate as a sparingly soluble compound was transformed to an even less soluble phosphate and its mass was found to be 0.4675 g.

2.1 Write all equations of the chemical reactions on which the quantitative analysis of the alloy sample is based. Name metals A, B, C, and D. Calculate the mass percentage of the metals in the alloy.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 2.1. Taking C as the metal dissolved by excess sodium hydroxide and D as the metal remaining in the residue:
Label Metal Analytical product Mass in sample Mass percentage
A Tin \(\ce{SnO2}\), weighed after ignition \(0.2572\ \mathrm{g}\) 20.00%
B Cadmium \(\ce{CdS}\), weighed \(0.5145\ \mathrm{g}\) 40.01%
C Lead \(\ce{PbCrO4}\), determined iodometrically \(0.1928\ \mathrm{g}\) 14.99%
D Bismuth \(\ce{BiPO4}\), weighed \(0.3214\ \mathrm{g}\) 24.99%

The iodometric relation is \[ \boxed{n(\ce{Pb})=\frac{n(\ce{S2O3^2-})}{3}}. \] The balanced analytical reactions are given below.

Solution

2.1. Identification, reactions, and composition

The sample mass is \(m_0=1.2860\ \mathrm{g}\). Since atomic masses are not supplied, use the conventional values \[ \begin{aligned} &A_r(\ce{Sn})=118.71,\quad A_r(\ce{Cd})=112.41,\quad A_r(\ce{Pb})=207.2,\quad A_r(\ce{Bi})=208.98,\\ &A_r(\ce{O})=16.00,\quad A_r(\ce{S})=32.06,\quad A_r(\ce{P})=30.97. \end{aligned} \] Equations are written in net ionic form where appropriate.

Identification of A: tin

Concentrated nitric acid oxidizes tin to insoluble hydrous tin(IV) oxide, conventionally called metastannic acid and represented by the nominal formula \(\ce{H2SnO3}\): \[ \ce{Sn + 4H+ + 4NO3- -> H2SnO3(s) + 4NO2(g) + H2O}. \]

The other metals enter solution as their nitrate salts: \[ \ce{Cd + 4H+ + 2NO3- -> Cd^2+ + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O}, \] \[ \ce{Pb + 4H+ + 2NO3- -> Pb^2+ + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O}, \] \[ \ce{Bi + 6H+ + 3NO3- -> Bi^3+ + 3NO2(g) + 3H2O}. \]

Ignition converts the hydrous tin precipitate into tin(IV) oxide: \[ \ce{H2SnO3(s) ->[\Delta] SnO2(s) + H2O(g)}. \]

Thus A is tin, and the \(0.3265\ \mathrm{g}\) weighing form is \(\ce{SnO2}\). Each mole contains one mole of tin: \[ m(\ce{Sn}) =0.3265\ \mathrm{g}\times\frac{118.71}{150.71} =0.2571748\ \mathrm{g}. \] Therefore, \[ \boxed{w(\ce{Sn})= \frac{0.2571748}{1.2860}\times100\%=20.00\%}. \]

Identification of B: cadmium

Added ammonia first neutralizes residual acid: \[ \ce{NH3 + H+ -> NH4+}. \]

Lead and bismuth precipitate as hydroxides: \[ \ce{Pb^2+ + 2NH3 + 2H2O -> Pb(OH)2(s) + 2NH4+}, \] \[ \ce{Bi^3+ + 3NH3 + 3H2O -> Bi(OH)3(s) + 3NH4+}. \]

Cadmium remains in excess ammonia as the soluble tetraamminecadmium(II) complex: \[ \ce{Cd^2+ + 4NH3 <=> [Cd(NH3)4]^2+}. \]

Passing hydrogen sulfide through the separated ammoniacal solution precipitates cadmium sulfide. Including proton uptake by ammonia, the overall equation is \[ \ce{[Cd(NH3)4]^2+ + H2S -> CdS(s) + 2NH4+ + 2NH3}. \]

Thus B is cadmium, weighed as \(\ce{CdS}\): \[ m(\ce{Cd}) =0.6613\ \mathrm{g}\times\frac{112.41}{112.41+32.06} =0.5145479\ \mathrm{g}. \] Hence, \[ \boxed{w(\ce{Cd})= \frac{0.5145479}{1.2860}\times100\%=40.01\%}. \]

Separation of lead and bismuth

Lead(II) hydroxide is amphoteric and dissolves in excess hydroxide. A conventional hydroxo-complex representation is \[ \ce{Pb(OH)2(s) + 2OH- <=> [Pb(OH)4]^2-}. \]

Bismuth(III) hydroxide remains in the precipitate under these conditions. Assigning the soluble branch to C and the residue to D therefore gives \[ \boxed{C=\ce{Pb},\qquad D=\ce{Bi}}. \]

Nitric acid neutralizes excess hydroxide and decomposes the lead hydroxo complex: \[ \ce{OH- + H+ -> H2O}, \] \[ \ce{[Pb(OH)4]^2- + 4H+ -> Pb^2+ + 4H2O}. \]

Addition of potassium chromate then precipitates yellow lead(II) chromate: \[ \ce{Pb^2+ + CrO4^2- -> PbCrO4(s)}. \]

Iodometric determination of lead

In acid solution, chromium(VI) in the isolated chromate oxidizes iodide to iodine and is reduced to chromium(III). Its reduction half-reaction is \[ \ce{CrO4^2- + 8H+ + 3e- -> Cr^3+ + 4H2O}. \]

Including precipitation of lead(II) sulfate, the overall reaction with sulfuric acid and iodide is \[ \ce{2PbCrO4(s) + 16H+ + 2SO4^2- + 6I- -> 2PbSO4(s) + 2Cr^3+ + 3I2 + 8H2O}. \]

The liberated iodine is titrated with thiosulfate: \[ \ce{I2 + 2S2O3^2- -> 2I- + S4O6^2-}. \]

Starch indicates the disappearance of iodine at the endpoint; it does not enter the stoichiometric calculation.

Two moles of lead chromate produce three moles of iodine, which consume six moles of thiosulfate. Consequently, \[ n(\ce{Pb})=n(\ce{PbCrO4}) =\frac{n(\ce{S2O3^2-})}{3}. \]

In this titration, one mole of thiosulfate corresponds to one redox equivalent, so its \(0.1512\)-normal solution has concentration \(0.1512\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}\). Keeping guard digits, \[ n(\ce{S2O3^2-}) =(0.1512\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}) (18.46\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{L}) =2.791152\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \] Thus, \[ n(\ce{Pb})=9.30384\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}, \] \[ m(\ce{Pb}) =(9.30384\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}) (207.2\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}) =0.1927756\ \mathrm{g}, \] and \[ \boxed{w(\ce{Pb})= \frac{0.1927756}{1.2860}\times100\%=14.99\%}. \]

Gravimetric determination of bismuth

The remaining bismuth precipitate is converted to bismuth(III) phosphate. The problem does not specify the phosphate reagent; a balanced representation using phosphoric acid is \[ \ce{Bi(OH)3(s) + H3PO4 -> BiPO4(s) + 3H2O}. \]

Each mole of \(\ce{BiPO4}\) contains one mole of bismuth: \[ m(\ce{Bi}) =0.4675\ \mathrm{g} \times\frac{208.98}{208.98+30.97+4(16.00)} =0.3214284\ \mathrm{g}. \] Therefore, \[ \boxed{w(\ce{Bi})= \frac{0.3214284}{1.2860}\times100\%=24.99\%}. \]

The independently determined metal masses total \[ 0.2571748+0.5145479+0.1927756+0.3214284 =1.2859267\ \mathrm{g}, \] or \(99.9943\%\) of the sample mass. This agrees closely with \(1.2860\ \mathrm{g}\); the composition is approximately \(20:40:15:25\) by mass for tin, cadmium, lead, and bismuth, respectively.

Names and SMILES of the molecular and ionic species

The following notation identifies the species used above. Dative arrows represent ligand-to-metal donation; these SMILES do not specify three-dimensional coordination geometry. The tetraamminecadmium(II) ion is conventionally represented with a tetrahedral arrangement of its four ammonia ligands. Aqueous \(\ce{H+}\) denotes a solvated proton.

Species and name SMILES
\(\ce{HNO3}\), nitric acid O[N+](=O)[O-]
\(\ce{H2SO4}\), sulfuric acid OS(=O)(=O)O
\(\ce{H3PO4}\), phosphoric acid OP(=O)(O)O
\(\ce{H2O}\), water O
\(\ce{NO2}\), nitrogen dioxide radical [O]N=O
\(\ce{NH3}\), ammonia N
\(\ce{H2S}\), hydrogen sulfide S
\(\ce{I2}\), iodine II
\(\ce{H+}\), hydrogen ion [H+]
\(\ce{OH-}\), hydroxide ion [OH-]
\(\ce{NH4+}\), ammonium ion [NH4+]
\(\ce{NO3-}\), nitrate ion [O-][N+](=O)[O-]
\(\ce{Cd^2+}\), cadmium(II) ion [Cd+2]
\(\ce{Pb^2+}\), lead(II) ion [Pb+2]
\(\ce{Bi^3+}\), bismuth(III) ion [Bi+3]
\(\ce{Cr^3+}\), chromium(III) ion [Cr+3]
\(\ce{[Cd(NH3)4]^2+}\), tetraamminecadmium(II) ion [NH3]->[Cd+2](<-[NH3])(<-[NH3])<-[NH3]
\(\ce{[Pb(OH)4]^2-}\), tetrahydroxoplumbate(II) ion [OH-]->[Pb+2](<-[OH-])(<-[OH-])<-[OH-]
\(\ce{CrO4^2-}\), chromate ion [O-][Cr](=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{SO4^2-}\), sulfate ion [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{I-}\), iodide ion [I-]
\(\ce{S2O3^2-}\), thiosulfate ion [O-]S(=O)(=O)[S-]
\(\ce{S4O6^2-}\), tetrathionate ion [O-]S(=O)(=O)SSS(=O)(=O)[O-]

The solid analytical compounds have extended structures rather than discrete molecules. Their dot-disconnected SMILES below represent formal formula units, not their crystal lattices. In particular, hydrous tin(IV) oxide has no unique molecular SMILES; its entry represents the nominal composition \(\ce{SnO2.H2O}\).

Solid and name Formal formula-unit SMILES
\(\ce{H2SnO3}\), metastannic acid / hydrous tin(IV) oxide [Sn+4].[O-2].[O-2].O
\(\ce{SnO2}\), tin(IV) oxide [Sn+4].[O-2].[O-2]
\(\ce{CdS}\), cadmium sulfide [Cd+2].[S-2]
\(\ce{Pb(OH)2}\), lead(II) hydroxide [Pb+2].[OH-].[OH-]
\(\ce{Bi(OH)3}\), bismuth(III) hydroxide [Bi+3].[OH-].[OH-].[OH-]
\(\ce{PbCrO4}\), lead(II) chromate [Pb+2].[O-][Cr](=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{PbSO4}\), lead(II) sulfate [Pb+2].[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{BiPO4}\), bismuth(III) phosphate [Bi+3].[O-]P(=O)([O-])[O-]

Starch is a polymeric indicator with no single molecular SMILES.

The solution was checked against the official solution.