IChO 1997 · Theory problem 2

Atmospheric formation of sulfuric acid: kinetics

Professor Molina of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology won the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on atmospheric chemistry. One reaction that he has studied in detail is the acid rain reaction which produces \(\ce{H2SO4}\) in the atmosphere. He has proposed two possible stoichiometric reactions:

Figure 1

2.1 Using simple collision theory, what reaction orders would be expected for Proposal A and for Proposal B?

Proposal B is thought to proceed by the following two-step process:

Figure 2

(\(\ce{SO3 * 2H2O}\) is a complex which is stabilized by hydrogen bonds and \(k_2 \ll k_1\) or \(k_{-1}\))

2.2 By applying the principle of stationary (steady) states, derive the appropriate rate law and hence the reaction order of the two-step mechanism for Proposal B.

2.3 Recent quantum chemical calculations have shown that the overall reaction activation energies for the two proposals are:

\(E_A = +80\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\) for Proposal A
\(E_B = -20\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\) for Proposal B

State the relationship between the rate constant and the temperature (Arrhenius relationship) for each proposal and predict the temperature dependence of the rate constants for each proposal.

2.4 The formation of \(\ce{H2SO4}\) is faster in the upper atmosphere (\(T = 175\ \mathrm{K}\)) than at the earth’s surface (\(T = 300\ \mathrm{K}\)). Which proposed pathway must dominate in the upper atmosphere given the activation energies in part (iii) and your understanding of the Arrhenius equation?

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 2.1: Proposal A: first order in each reactant, second order overall. Proposal B: first order in \(\ce{SO3}\), second order in \(\ce{H2O}\), third order overall.
  • 2.2: \[ v=\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}+k_2}[\ce{SO3}][\ce{H2O}]^2 \simeq\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}}[\ce{SO3}][\ce{H2O}]^2. \] The mechanism is third order overall.
  • 2.3: \[ k_A=A_A\exp\!\left(-\frac{80\,000\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}}{RT}\right), \qquad k_B=A_B\exp\!\left(+\frac{20\,000\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}}{RT}\right). \] As temperature rises, \(k_A\) increases and \(k_B\) decreases.
  • 2.4: Proposal B is the dominant pathway indicated by the stated enhancement at lower temperature.

Solution

The chemical species used below are:

Name Formula SMILES
Water \(\ce{H2O}\) O
Sulfur trioxide \(\ce{SO3}\) O=S(=O)=O
Sulfuric acid \(\ce{H2SO4}\) OS(=O)(=O)O
Sulfur trioxide complex with two water molecules \(\ce{SO3 * 2H2O}\) O=S(=O)=O.O.O

The disconnected SMILES for the complex specifies its molecular components; it does not encode their hydrogen bonds or spatial arrangement.

2.1

The balanced proposed reactions are

\[ \text{A:}\qquad \ce{H2O(g) + SO3(g) -> H2SO4(g)} \]

and

\[ \text{B:}\qquad \ce{2H2O(g) + SO3(g) -> H2SO4(g) + H2O(g)}. \]

Under the simple collision model, the frequency of a specified encounter is proportional to the product of the concentrations of all participating molecules.

For A, one water molecule encounters one sulfur trioxide molecule:

\[ v_A=k_A[\ce{H2O}][\ce{SO3}]. \]

The reaction is first order in each reactant, giving overall order \(1+1=\boxed{2}\).

For B, two water molecules and one sulfur trioxide molecule participate:

\[ v_B=k_B[\ce{H2O}]^2[\ce{SO3}]. \]

The reaction is second order in water and first order in sulfur trioxide, giving overall order \(2+1=\boxed{3}\).

Although one water molecule is regenerated in B, both water molecules participate in the proposed encounter. Cancelling water from the net equation therefore does not remove its kinetic role. These orders follow from the assumed collision model; overall stoichiometry alone does not generally determine reaction order.

2.2

The proposed elementary steps are

\[ \ce{SO3 + 2H2O <=> SO3 * 2H2O} \qquad \text{(forward \(k_1\), reverse \(k_{-1}\))} \]

and

\[ \ce{SO3 * 2H2O -> H2SO4 + H2O} \qquad \text{(\(k_2\))}. \]

Let \(c=[\ce{SO3 * 2H2O}]\). The complex forms in the forward association step and disappears through both dissociation and product formation:

\[ \frac{dc}{dt} =k_1[\ce{SO3}][\ce{H2O}]^2-k_{-1}c-k_2c. \]

Applying the steady-state approximation,

\[ \frac{dc}{dt}\simeq0, \]

gives

\[ c\simeq \frac{k_1}{k_{-1}+k_2} [\ce{SO3}][\ce{H2O}]^2. \]

Sulfuric acid forms through the second step, so

\[ v=\frac{d[\ce{H2SO4}]}{dt}=k_2c. \]

Consequently,

\[ \boxed{ v=\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}+k_2} [\ce{SO3}][\ce{H2O}]^2 }. \]

In the stated slow-conversion limit, \(k_2\ll k_{-1}\), this becomes

\[ \boxed{ v\simeq\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}} [\ce{SO3}][\ce{H2O}]^2 }. \]

Thus the effective rate constant is

\[ k_B=\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}+k_2} \simeq\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}}, \]

and the reaction is first order in sulfur trioxide, second order in water, and third order overall.

With concentrations in \(\mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}\) and time in seconds, \(k_B\) has units \(\mathrm{L^2\,mol^{-2}\,s^{-1}}\), whereas \(k_A\) has units \(\mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}\,s^{-1}}\).

2.3

The Arrhenius equation is

\[ k=A\exp\!\left(-\frac{E_a}{RT}\right), \]

where \(A\) is the pre-exponential factor and \(R\) is the gas constant. Treating \(A\) as temperature independent over the interval considered,

\[ \frac{d\ln k}{dT}=\frac{E_a}{RT^2}. \]

For Proposal A,

\[ E_A=+80\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}} =+80\,000\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}, \]

so

\[ \boxed{ k_A=A_A\exp\!\left(-\frac{80\,000\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}}{RT}\right) }. \]

Since \(E_A>0\), \(d\ln k_A/dT>0\): \(k_A\) increases with temperature.

For Proposal B,

\[ E_B=-20\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}} =-20\,000\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}, \]

so

\[ \boxed{ k_B=A_B\exp\!\left(+\frac{20\,000\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}}{RT}\right) }. \]

Since \(E_B<0\), \(d\ln k_B/dT<0\): \(k_B\) decreases with temperature, or increases on cooling.

The negative value is an effective activation energy for the overall mechanism. It is consistent with lower temperature favouring formation of the hydrogen-bonded complex strongly enough to outweigh the slowing of its subsequent conversion.

2.4

For either pathway, the Arrhenius equation gives

\[ \frac{k(175\ \mathrm K)}{k(300\ \mathrm K)} = \exp\!\left[ -\frac{E_a}{R} \left(\frac{1}{175\ \mathrm K}-\frac{1}{300\ \mathrm K}\right) \right]. \]

The reciprocal-temperature difference is

\[ \frac{1}{175\ \mathrm K}-\frac{1}{300\ \mathrm K} =\frac{1}{420}\ \mathrm{K^{-1}}. \]

Using \(R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\),

\[ \frac{k_A(175\ \mathrm K)}{k_A(300\ \mathrm K)} = \exp\!\left(-\frac{80\,000}{8.314\times420}\right) \approx 1.1\times10^{-10}, \]

whereas

\[ \frac{k_B(175\ \mathrm K)}{k_B(300\ \mathrm K)} = \exp\!\left(+\frac{20\,000}{8.314\times420}\right) \approx 3.1\times10^2. \]

Cooling therefore strongly suppresses pathway A but enhances pathway B. Under the problem’s intended comparison, in which the temperature effect is assessed at fixed reactant concentrations, the faster formation at \(175\ \mathrm K\) requires

\[ \boxed{\text{Proposal B to dominate in the upper atmosphere.}} \]

The solution was checked against the official solution.