IChO 1982 · Theory problem 3

Analysis of methanol-formaldehyde solutions with dichromate and iodine

In a chemical factory in which formaldehyde is produced by oxidation of methanol, aqueous solutions containing methanol and formaldehyde are to be analyzed. In order to test the method, experiments are first carried out with known amounts of both methanol and formaldehyde. The following aqueous solutions are used:

Methanol, \(5.00\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}\)
Formaldehyde, \(5.00\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}\)
Potassium dichromate, \(3.000 \times 10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\)
Ammonium iron(II) sulphate, \(0.2000\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\)
Iodine, \(0.1000\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\)
Sodium thiosulphate, \(0.2000\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\).

I. \(10.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) methanol solution and \(100.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) potassium dichromate solution are mixed, approximately \(100\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) concentrated sulphuric acid is added and the solution is allowed to stand for about 30 minutes. Excess dichromate ions are then titrated with iron(II) ions with diphenylamine sulphonic acid as a redox indicator (colour change from red-violet to pale green). The volume of the iron(II) solution consumed is \(43.5\ \mathrm{cm^3}\).

II. \(10.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of formaldehyde solution and \(50.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of iodine solution are mixed. Sodium hydroxide solution is added to alkaline reaction and the mixture is left standing for about 10 minutes. Hydrochloric acid is then added to a neutral reaction, and the excess iodine is determined by titration with thiosulphate, with starch as an indicator. The volume of the thiosulphate solution required is \(33.3\ \mathrm{cm^{-3}}\).

3.1 Using the analysis data in I and II calculate the reacting amounts and the molar ratios of methanol/dichromate ions and formaldehyde/iodine.

3.2 Write balanced equations for all reactions described in experiments I and II.

III. It is checked that iodine does not react with methanol. From a solution containing both methanol and formaldehyde, two \(10.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) samples are taken.

One sample is mixed with \(100.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of potassium dichromate solution and concentrated sulphuric acid as in I. Excess dichromate ions consume \(4.8\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of iron(II) solution.

The other sample is mixed with \(50.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of iodine solution and treated as in II. Excess iodine consumes \(16.50\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of thiosulphate solution.

3.3 Give balanced equations for the reactions and calculate the contents of methanol and formaldehyde in the solution. Give your answer in \(\mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}\).

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3.1: The reacting amounts are:
Experiment Analyte Oxidant consumed Analyte/oxidant molar ratio
I Methanol: \(1.56\ \mathrm{mmol}\) Dichromate: \(1.550\ \mathrm{mmol}\) \(1.008:1 \approx \boxed{1:1}\)
II Formaldehyde: \(1.67\ \mathrm{mmol}\) Iodine: \(1.670\ \mathrm{mmol}\) \(0.998:1 \approx \boxed{1:1}\)
  • 3.2: The principal net ionic equations are

\[ \ce{CH3OH + Cr2O7^2- + 8H+ -> CO2 + 2Cr^3+ + 6H2O} \]

\[ \ce{Cr2O7^2- + 6Fe^2+ + 14H+ -> 2Cr^3+ + 6Fe^3+ + 7H2O} \]

\[ \ce{HCHO + I2 + 3OH- -> HCOO- + 2I- + 2H2O} \]

\[ \ce{I2 + 2S2O3^2- -> 2I- + S4O6^2-}. \]

Neutralization is \(\ce{H+ + OH- -> H2O}\). The alkaline iodine transformations are detailed in the solution.

  • 3.3: Formaldehyde also undergoes complete oxidation by acidic dichromate:

\[ \ce{3HCHO + 2Cr2O7^2- + 16H+ -> 3CO2 + 4Cr^3+ + 11H2O}. \]

The other analytical reactions are those in 3.2. The concentrations are

\[ \boxed{\text{Methanol: }1.94\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}} \]

\[ \boxed{\text{Formaldehyde: }10.1\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

Using the rounded molar mass \(30.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), the formaldehyde calculation gives \(10.05\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}\) before rounding to three significant figures.

Solution

3.1 — Reacting amounts and molar ratios

Use the rounded molar masses

\[ M(\ce{CH3OH})=32.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \qquad M(\ce{HCHO})=30.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Guard digits are retained in intermediate calculations.

In the dichromate back-titration, each dichromate ion accepts six electrons, while each iron(II) ion supplies one. Thus,

\[ n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{remaining}} =\frac{n(\ce{Fe^2+})}{6}. \]

In the iodine back-titration, one iodine molecule reacts with two thiosulphate ions:

\[ n(\ce{I2})_{\text{remaining}} =\frac{n(\ce{S2O3^2-})}{2}. \]

Experiment I.

The methanol mass and amount in the sample are

\[ m(\ce{CH3OH}) =(5.00\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}) (0.01000\ \mathrm{dm^3}) =0.0500\ \mathrm{g}, \]

\[ n(\ce{CH3OH}) =\frac{0.0500}{32.0} =1.5625\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The initial dichromate amount is

\[ n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_0 =(0.10000)(3.000\times10^{-2}) =3.000\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The back-titration consumes

\[ n(\ce{Fe^2+}) =(0.0435)(0.2000) =8.70\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Consequently,

\[ n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{remaining}} =\frac{8.70\times10^{-3}}6 =1.450\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}, \]

and the amount consumed by methanol is

\[ n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{reacted}} =(3.000-1.450)\times10^{-3} =\boxed{1.550\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \frac{n(\ce{CH3OH})} {n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{reacted}}} =\frac{1.5625}{1.550} =1.008, \]

identifying the simple stoichiometric ratio

\[ \boxed{\ce{CH3OH}:\ce{Cr2O7^2-}=1:1}. \]

Experiment II.

The formaldehyde amount is

\[ n(\ce{HCHO}) =\frac{(5.00)(0.01000)}{30.0} =1.6667\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Initially,

\[ n(\ce{I2})_0 =(0.05000)(0.1000) =5.000\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Interpreting the printed titration volume as \(33.3\ \mathrm{cm^3}\),

\[ n(\ce{S2O3^2-}) =(0.0333)(0.2000) =6.660\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The iodine remaining is therefore

\[ n(\ce{I2})_{\text{remaining}} =\frac{6.660\times10^{-3}}2 =3.330\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Thus,

\[ n(\ce{I2})_{\text{reacted}} =(5.000-3.330)\times10^{-3} =\boxed{1.670\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}}, \]

and

\[ \frac{n(\ce{HCHO})}{n(\ce{I2})_{\text{reacted}}} =\frac{1.6667}{1.670} =0.998. \]

Hence,

\[ \boxed{\ce{HCHO}:\ce{I2}=1:1}. \]

The measured ratios are close to the simple integer ratios; the exact balanced stoichiometries are used below.

3.2 — Identification of products and balanced reactions

Experiment I: methanol oxidation.

In acidic solution, the dichromate reduction half-reaction is

\[ \ce{Cr2O7^2- + 14H+ + 6e- -> 2Cr^3+ + 7H2O}. \]

The observed \(1:1\) methanol/dichromate ratio therefore means that one methanol molecule loses six electrons. Its carbon initially has oxidation state \(-2\), so its final oxidation state is \(+4\). Under these acidic conditions the product is carbon dioxide:

\[ \ce{CH3OH + H2O -> CO2 + 6H+ + 6e-}. \]

Adding the half-reactions gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{CH3OH + Cr2O7^2- + 8H+ -> CO2 + 2Cr^3+ + 6H2O}}. \]

For the back-titration, iron(II) is oxidized according to

\[ \ce{Fe^2+ -> Fe^3+ + e-}. \]

Combining six copies of this half-reaction with dichromate reduction gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{Cr2O7^2- + 6Fe^2+ + 14H+ -> 2Cr^3+ + 6Fe^3+ + 7H2O}}. \]

Experiment II: formaldehyde oxidation.

One iodine molecule accepts two electrons:

\[ \ce{I2 + 2e- -> 2I-}. \]

The \(1:1\) formaldehyde/iodine ratio therefore corresponds to a two-electron oxidation of formaldehyde. Its carbon changes from oxidation state \(0\) to \(+2\): the aldehyde group becomes a carboxylate group, giving formate in the alkaline solution.

The oxidation half-reaction is

\[ \ce{HCHO + 3OH- -> HCOO- + 2H2O + 2e-}. \]

Combining the half-reactions gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{HCHO + I2 + 3OH- -> HCOO- + 2I- + 2H2O}}. \]

The role of alkaline iodine can also be represented by hypoiodite formation followed by oxidation of formaldehyde:

\[ \ce{I2 + 2OH- -> I- + IO- + H2O}, \]

\[ \ce{HCHO + IO- + OH- -> HCOO- + I- + H2O}. \]

These two equations sum to the same net oxidation equation.

Adding acid neutralizes excess hydroxide,

\[ \ce{H+ + OH- -> H2O}, \]

and converts residual hypoiodite in the presence of iodide back into iodine:

\[ \ce{IO- + I- + 2H+ -> I2 + H2O}. \]

Finally, thiosulphate is oxidized to tetrathionate:

\[ \ce{2S2O3^2- -> S4O6^2- + 2e-}. \]

Combining this with iodine reduction gives the titration equation

\[ \boxed{\ce{I2 + 2S2O3^2- -> 2I- + S4O6^2-}}. \]

3.3 — Analysis of the mixture

Under the strongly oxidizing conditions of experiment I, formaldehyde is also oxidized completely to carbon dioxide. Its carbon changes from oxidation state \(0\) to \(+4\), releasing four electrons:

\[ \ce{HCHO + H2O -> CO2 + 4H+ + 4e-}. \]

Combining three copies of this half-reaction with two dichromate reduction half-reactions gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{3HCHO + 2Cr2O7^2- + 16H+ -> 3CO2 + 4Cr^3+ + 11H2O}}. \]

Thus, each mole of methanol consumes one mole of dichromate, while each mole of formaldehyde consumes \(2/3\) mole of dichromate. The iodine reaction and both back-titration reactions remain those given in 3.2.

First determine formaldehyde independently, since iodine does not react with methanol. The iodine remaining after treatment of the second sample is

\[ n(\ce{I2})_{\text{remaining}} =\frac{(0.01650)(0.2000)}2 =1.650\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Therefore, the formaldehyde amount in a \(10.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) sample is

\[ n(\ce{HCHO}) =n(\ce{I2})_{\text{reacted}} =(5.000-1.650)\times10^{-3} =\boxed{3.350\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}}. \]

For the first sample, the dichromate remaining is

\[ n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{remaining}} =\frac{(0.0048)(0.2000)}6 =1.60\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Hence the total dichromate consumed is

\[ n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{reacted}} =3.000\times10^{-3}-1.60\times10^{-4} =2.840\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Let \(x\) be the methanol amount in either original \(10.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) sample. The dichromate balance is

\[ x+\frac23n(\ce{HCHO}) =n(\ce{Cr2O7^2-})_{\text{reacted}}. \]

Thus,

\[ x=2.840\times10^{-3} -\frac23(3.350\times10^{-3}) =\boxed{6.0667\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}}. \]

The requested mass concentrations refer to the original sample volume, \(0.01000\ \mathrm{dm^3}\):

\[ \rho(\ce{CH3OH}) =\frac{(6.0667\times10^{-4})(32.0)}{0.01000} =1.9413\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}} \approx\boxed{1.94\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}}, \]

\[ \rho(\ce{HCHO}) =\frac{(3.350\times10^{-3})(30.0)}{0.01000} =10.05\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}} \approx\boxed{10.1\ \mathrm{g\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

Names and SMILES for the species used

Species SMILES
Methanol, \(\ce{CH3OH}\) CO
Formaldehyde (methanal), \(\ce{HCHO}\) C=O
Carbon dioxide, \(\ce{CO2}\) O=C=O
Formate (methanoate) ion, \(\ce{HCOO-}\) [H]C(=O)[O-]
Dichromate ion, \(\ce{Cr2O7^2-}\) [O-][Cr](=O)(=O)O[Cr](=O)(=O)[O-]
Chromium(III) ion, \(\ce{Cr^3+}\) [Cr+3]
Iron(II) ion, \(\ce{Fe^2+}\) [Fe+2]
Iron(III) ion, \(\ce{Fe^3+}\) [Fe+3]
Iodine, \(\ce{I2}\) II
Iodide ion, \(\ce{I-}\) [I-]
Hypoiodite ion, \(\ce{IO-}\) [O-]I
Thiosulphate ion, \(\ce{S2O3^2-}\) [O-]S(=O)(=O)[S-]
Tetrathionate ion, \(\ce{S4O6^2-}\) [O-]S(=O)(=O)SSS(=O)(=O)[O-]
Hydrogen ion, \(\ce{H+}\) [H+]
Hydroxide ion, \(\ce{OH-}\) [OH-]
Water, \(\ce{H2O}\) O

These SMILES specify connectivity and formal charges; aqueous solvation is implicit. Dichromate consists of two approximately tetrahedral chromium–oxygen units sharing one oxygen, a geometry not explicitly encoded by its SMILES. Electron transfers are expressed by the half-reactions above.

The answers were checked against the official answers published by the organisers. Where this solution differs from the official solution, the official solution contains an error or a misprint.