IChO 1992 · Theory problem 5

Nitrogen dioxide - dinitrogen tetroxide equilibrium and kinetics

Nitrogen dioxide \(\ce{NO2}\) is one of a number of oxides of nitrogen found in our atmosphere. It can dimerize to give \(\ce{N2O4(g)}\):

Figure 1

5.1 With a diagram, show the bonds present in \(\ce{NO2(g)}\) using the concept of resonance if necessary. Nitrogen dioxide, \(\ce{NO2}\), is paramagnetic.

5.2 Show, with bonding diagrams, how two molecules of \(\ce{NO2(g)}\) combine to give a molecule of \(\ce{N2O4(g)}\) which is not paramagnetic.

5.3 At 298 K, the \(\Delta G^\circ\) of formation for \(\ce{N2O4(g)}\) is 98.28 kJ, whereas for \(\ce{NO2(g)}\) is 51.84 kJ. Starting with one mole of \(\ce{N2O4(g)}\) at 1.0 atm and 298 K, calculate what fraction will be decomposed if the total pressure is kept constant at 1.0 atm and the temperature is maintained at 298 K.

5.4 If \(\Delta H^\circ\) for the reaction

Figure 2

is 58.03 kJ, at what temperature would the fraction of \(\ce{N2O4}\) decomposed be double that calculated in part 5.3?

5.5 The dissociation of \(\ce{N2O4(g)}\) to give \(\ce{NO2(g)}\) is a first order process with a specific rate constant of \(5.3\times10^4\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}\) at 298 K. Starting with an initial concentration of 0.10 M, how many seconds would it take for 20 % of the original \(\ce{N2O4}\) to decompose?

5.6 The association of \(\ce{NO2(g)}\) to give \(\ce{N2O4(g)}\) is a second-order process with a specific rate constant of \(9.8\times10^6\ \mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}\,s^{-1}}\) at 298 K. Calculate the concentration equilibrium constant, \(K_c\), at 298 K for the reaction

Figure 3

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 5.1 Nitrogen dioxide, [O-][N+]=O, is a bent radical with one unpaired electron. Two equivalent resonance contributors give equivalent \(\ce{N-O}\) bonds, with formal mean bond order \(1.5\).
  • 5.2 Dinitrogen tetroxide, [O-][N+](=O)[N+](=O)[O-], forms an \(\ce{N-N}\) single bond by pairing the two radicals’ unpaired electrons. All electrons are paired, so it is diamagnetic.
  • 5.3 The fraction decomposed is \(\boxed{0.166}\), approximately \(\boxed{16.6\%}\).
  • 5.4 \(\boxed{T\approx318\ \mathrm{K}}\), with the pressure maintained at \(1.0\ \mathrm{atm}\).
  • 5.5 \(\boxed{t=4.2\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{s}}\), using the first-order dissociation law and neglecting reassociation.
  • 5.6 \(\boxed{K_c\approx1.8\times10^2\ \mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}}}\) to two significant figures; the calculated value is \(184.9\ \mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}}\).

Solution

5.1

Nitrogen dioxide has \[ 5+2(6)=17 \] valence electrons. The odd electron count requires an unpaired electron, explaining its paramagnetism.

The two principal Lewis resonance contributors are \[ \ce{O=N^{+\bullet}-O^- <-> ^-O-N^{+\bullet}=O}. \]

To draw them precisely:

  • Draw a bent \(\ce{O-N-O}\) skeleton.
  • In the first contributor, draw one \(\ce{N=O}\) double bond and one \(\ce{N-O^-}\) single bond. Put a positive formal charge and one unpaired-electron dot on nitrogen.
  • Give the doubly bonded oxygen two lone pairs and the singly bonded oxygen three lone pairs.
  • In the second contributor, interchange the single and double bonds and the corresponding oxygen formal charges.

The actual molecule is a resonance hybrid: its two \(\ce{N-O}\) bonds are equivalent, with formal mean bond order \[ \frac{2+1}{2}=1.5. \]

The SMILES [O-][N+]=O represents one charge-separated bonding contributor. It does not depict the bent geometry or the resonance-delocalized electron distribution.

5.2

The balanced dimerization reaction is \[ \ce{2 NO2(g) <=> N2O4(g)}. \]

Each radical supplies its unpaired electron to a new two-electron \(\ce{N-N}\) sigma bond. One Lewis contributor of the product is \[ \ce{^-O-N^+(=O)-N^+(=O)-O^-}. \]

For the bonding diagram, draw a central \(\ce{N-N}\) single bond. Attach two oxygens to each nitrogen, one through a double bond and one through a single bond. Each nitrogen has formal charge \(+1\), and each singly bonded oxygen has formal charge \(-1\). Each nitrogen now has an octet.

Interchanging the single and double \(\ce{N-O}\) bonds within either group generates four resonance contributors in total. All electrons are paired, making the product diamagnetic.

Dinitrogen tetroxide has a planar equilibrium structure with approximately trigonal-planar coordination around each nitrogen. Its SMILES, [O-][N+](=O)[N+](=O)[O-], does not specify that conformation.

5.3

For dissociation, \[ \ce{N2O4(g) <=> 2 NO2(g)}, \] the standard reaction Gibbs energy is \[ \begin{aligned} \Delta_{\mathrm r}G^\circ &=2\Delta_{\mathrm f}G^\circ(\ce{NO2}) -\Delta_{\mathrm f}G^\circ(\ce{N2O4})\\ &=2(51.84)-98.28\\ &=5.40\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

Using \(R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\), \[ K_p=\exp\left(-\frac{\Delta_{\mathrm r}G^\circ}{RT}\right) =\exp\left(-\frac{5400}{8.314(298)}\right) =0.11309. \]

Let \(\alpha\) be the fraction of the initial mole that dissociates. At equilibrium, \[ n(\ce{N2O4})=(1-\alpha)\ \mathrm{mol}, \qquad n(\ce{NO2})=2\alpha\ \mathrm{mol}, \] so \[ n_{\mathrm{tot}}=(1+\alpha)\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

At total pressure \(P\), \[ p_{\ce{NO2}}=\frac{2\alpha}{1+\alpha}P, \qquad p_{\ce{N2O4}}=\frac{1-\alpha}{1+\alpha}P. \]

Taking the standard pressure as \(p^\circ=1\ \mathrm{atm}\), \[ K_p =\frac{(p_{\ce{NO2}}/p^\circ)^2}{p_{\ce{N2O4}}/p^\circ} =\frac{4\alpha^2}{1-\alpha^2}\frac{P}{p^\circ}. \]

Here \(P/p^\circ=1\), hence \[ \alpha =\sqrt{\frac{K_p}{4+K_p}} =\sqrt{\frac{0.11309}{4.11309}} =0.16582. \]

Thus \[ \boxed{\alpha\approx0.166,\qquad 16.6\%\text{ decomposed}.} \]

5.4

Assume that the total pressure remains \(1.0\ \mathrm{atm}\) and that \(\Delta_{\mathrm r}H^\circ\) is constant over the temperature interval.

The required dissociation fraction is \[ \alpha_2=2\alpha_1=0.33164. \]

Therefore, the required equilibrium constant is \[ K_{p,2} =\frac{4\alpha_2^2}{1-\alpha_2^2} =\frac{4(0.33164)^2}{1-(0.33164)^2} =0.49429. \]

The integrated van ’t Hoff equation gives \[ \ln\left(\frac{K_{p,2}}{K_{p,1}}\right) =-\frac{\Delta_{\mathrm r}H^\circ}{R} \left(\frac{1}{T_2}-\frac{1}{T_1}\right). \]

Substitution yields \[ \frac{1}{T_2} =\frac{1}{298} -\frac{8.314}{58030} \ln\left(\frac{0.49429}{0.11309}\right), \] and hence \[ \boxed{T_2=318.03\ \mathrm{K}\approx318\ \mathrm{K}.} \]

The increase in temperature is consistent with dissociation being endothermic.

5.5

For the stated first-order dissociation calculation, \[ -\frac{d[\ce{N2O4}]}{dt}=k_{\mathrm d}[\ce{N2O4}], \] whose integrated form is \[ \ln\left(\frac{[\ce{N2O4}]_0}{[\ce{N2O4}]_t}\right)=k_{\mathrm d}t. \]

After \(20\%\) decomposition, \[ [\ce{N2O4}]_t=0.80(0.10)=0.080\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Thus \[ t=\frac{\ln(0.10/0.080)}{5.3\times10^4\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}} =4.2103\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{s}. \]

Therefore, \[ \boxed{t=4.2\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{s}=4.2\ \mathrm{\mu s}.} \]

The initial concentration cancels because a fixed fractional conversion in a first-order process depends only on \(k_{\mathrm d}\).

5.6

For association, \[ \ce{2 NO2(g) <=> N2O4(g)}, \] use the reaction rates \[ r_{\mathrm a}=k_{\mathrm a}[\ce{NO2}]^2, \qquad r_{\mathrm d}=k_{\mathrm d}[\ce{N2O4}]. \]

At equilibrium, formation and dissociation of the dimer balance: \[ k_{\mathrm a}[\ce{NO2}]_{\mathrm{eq}}^2 =k_{\mathrm d}[\ce{N2O4}]_{\mathrm{eq}}. \]

Consequently, \[ \begin{aligned} K_c &=\frac{[\ce{N2O4}]_{\mathrm{eq}}} {[\ce{NO2}]_{\mathrm{eq}}^2}\\ &=\frac{k_{\mathrm a}}{k_{\mathrm d}}\\ &=\frac{9.8\times10^6\ \mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}\,s^{-1}}} {5.3\times10^4\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}}\\ &=184.9\ \mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

Thus, to two significant figures, \[ \boxed{K_c\approx1.8\times10^2\ \mathrm{dm^3\,mol^{-1}}.} \]

There is no additional factor of two: \(r_{\mathrm a}\) counts dimer formation. The corresponding monomer consumption rate is \(2r_{\mathrm a}\).

The solution was checked against the official solution.