IChO 1997 · Theory problem 7

Thermodynamics of chlorine expansion and of nickel ammine/ethylenediamine complexes

7.1 One mole of \(\ce{Cl2(g)}\), which may be assumed to obey the ideal gas law, initially at 300 K and \(1.01325\times10^7\) Pa, is expanded against a constant external pressure of \(1.01325\times10^5\) Pa to a final pressure of \(1.01325\times10^5\) Pa. As a result of the expansion, the gas cooled to a temperature of 239 K (which is the normal boiling point of \(\ce{Cl2}\)), and 0.100 mol of \(\ce{Cl2}\) condensed.

The enthalpy of vaporization of \(\ce{Cl2(l)}\) is 20.42 kJ mol\(^{-1}\) at the normal boiling point, the molar heat capacity of \(\ce{Cl2(g)}\) at constant volume is \(C_v=28.66\) J K\(^{-1}\) mol\(^{-1}\) and the density of \(\ce{Cl2(l)}\) is 1.56 g cm\(^{-3}\) (at 239 K). Assume that the molar heat capacity at constant pressure for \(\ce{Cl2(g)}\) is \(C_p=C_v+R\).

(1 atm \(=1.01325\times10^5\) Pa, \(R=8.314510\) J K\(^{-1}\) mol\(^{-1}=0.0820584\) L atm K\(^{-1}\) mol\(^{-1}\))

i) Either draw a complete molecular orbital energy diagram or write the complete electronic configuration of \(\ce{Cl2}\). Predict the bond order of \(\ce{Cl2}\) and thus whether this molecule will be diamagnetic, ferromagnetic, or paramagnetic.

ii) For the changes described above, calculate the change in the internal energy \((\Delta E)\) and the change in the entropy \((\Delta S_{\mathrm{sys}})\) of the system.

7.2 For the following reactions occurring in dilute aqueous solution at 298 K:

Figure 1

\(\ln K_c=11.60\) and \(\Delta H^0=-33.5\) kJ mol\(^{-1}\)

Figure 2

\(\ln K_c=17.78\) and \(\Delta H^0=-37.2\) kJ mol\(^{-1}\)

Note: \(en\) is ethylenediamine (a neutral bidentate ligand)

(\(R=8.314510\) J K\(^{-1}\) mol\(^{-1}=0.0820584\) L atm K\(^{-1}\) mol\(^{-1}\))

Calculate \(\Delta G^0\), \(\Delta S^0\), and \(K_c\) at 298 K for reaction [3] occurring in a dilute aqueous solution:

Figure 3

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 7.1(i) Chlorine, \(\ce{Cl2}\), SMILES ClCl, has the complete occupied molecular orbital configuration below, taking \(z\) along the bond. Each \((\pi\,np_{x,y})^4\) denotes two degenerate orbitals containing two electrons each. \[ \begin{aligned} &(\sigma_g1s)^2(\sigma_u^*1s)^2 (\sigma_g2s)^2(\sigma_u^*2s)^2\\ &(\sigma_g2p_z)^2(\pi_u2p_{x,y})^4 (\pi_g^*2p_{x,y})^4(\sigma_u^*2p_z)^2\\ &(\sigma_g3s)^2(\sigma_u^*3s)^2 (\sigma_g3p_z)^2(\pi_u3p_{x,y})^4 (\pi_g^*3p_{x,y})^4. \end{aligned} \] Its bond order is 1, and it is diamagnetic.

  • 7.1(ii) For the entire system: \[ \boxed{\Delta E=-3.59\ \mathrm{kJ}},\qquad \boxed{\Delta S_{\mathrm{sys}}=+21.34\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}}}. \]

  • 7.2 For reaction (3) at 298 K: \[ \boxed{\Delta G^0=-15.3\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}, \qquad \boxed{\Delta S^0=+39.0\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}}}, \qquad \boxed{K_c=4.83\times10^2}. \] The equilibrium constant uses the usual standard-concentration convention.

Solution

7.1(i): Electronic configuration, bond order, and magnetism

Each chlorine atom supplies 17 electrons, so \(\ce{Cl2}\) contains 34 electrons. The complete configuration in the Answers section accounts for all 34; the antibonding \(\sigma_u^*(3p_z)\) orbital is empty.

The 20 core electrons occupy equal numbers of bonding and antibonding orbitals, so their contributions to bond order cancel. Of the 14 valence electrons:

  • Eight occupy bonding orbitals: two in \(\sigma_g(3s)\), two in \(\sigma_g(3p_z)\), and four in the two \(\pi_u(3p)\) orbitals.
  • Six occupy antibonding orbitals: two in \(\sigma_u^*(3s)\) and four in the two \(\pi_g^*(3p)\) orbitals.

Consequently, \[ \text{bond order}=\frac{N_{\mathrm{bonding}}-N_{\mathrm{antibonding}}}{2} =\frac{8-6}{2}=\boxed{1}. \]

All occupied orbitals are doubly occupied. There are no unpaired electrons, so the molecule is diamagnetic.

7.1(ii): Internal energy and entropy changes

The final system contains \[ n_g=0.900\ \mathrm{mol},\qquad n_l=0.100\ \mathrm{mol}, \] at \(T_f=239\ \mathrm{K}\) and \(P_f=1\ \mathrm{atm}\).

Both internal energy and entropy are state functions. We may therefore calculate their changes along the following reversible reference path:

  1. Expand the initial 1 mol of gas isothermally at 300 K from 100 atm to 1 atm.
  2. Cool that mole of gas at 1 atm from 300 K to 239 K.
  3. Condense 0.100 mol reversibly at 239 K and 1 atm: \[ \ce{Cl2(g) -> Cl2(l)}. \]

The required molar heat capacity is \[ C_p=C_v+R=28.66+8.314510 =36.974510\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Internal energy

For an ideal gas, the isothermal step has \(\Delta E_1=0\). Cooling contributes \[ \Delta E_2=nC_v(T_f-T_i) =(1.000)(28.66)(239-300) =-1748.26\ \mathrm{J}. \]

To convert the enthalpy of vaporization to an internal-energy change, use \[ \Delta H_{\mathrm{vap}} =\Delta U_{\mathrm{vap}}+P_f(\overline V_g-\overline V_l). \] Since \(P_f\overline V_g=RT_f\), \[ \Delta U_{\mathrm{vap}} =\Delta H_{\mathrm{vap}}-RT_f+P_f\overline V_l. \]

Condensation has the opposite sign. Thus \[ \Delta E =nC_v(T_f-T_i) -n_l\left(\Delta H_{\mathrm{vap}}-RT_f+P_f\overline V_l\right). \]

For the small liquid-volume correction, using the conventional molar mass \(M(\ce{Cl2})\simeq70.90\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), \[ \overline V_l=\frac{M}{\rho} =\frac{70.90}{1.56} =45.45\ \mathrm{cm^3\,mol^{-1}} =4.545\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{m^3\,mol^{-1}}. \] Hence \[ n_lP_f\overline V_l\simeq0.461\ \mathrm{J}. \]

Combining the contributions, \[ \begin{aligned} \Delta E &=-1748.26 -(0.100)\left[20420-(8.314510)(239)\right] -0.461\\ &=-3592.00\ \mathrm{J}. \end{aligned} \] Therefore, \[ \boxed{\Delta E=-3.59\ \mathrm{kJ}}. \]

Entropy

For the reversible isothermal expansion, \[ \Delta S_1 =nR\ln\frac{P_i}{P_f} =(1.000)(8.314510)\ln100 =38.2897\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}}. \]

For cooling at constant pressure, \[ \Delta S_2 =nC_p\ln\frac{T_f}{T_i} =(1.000)(36.974510)\ln\frac{239}{300} =-8.40501\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}}. \]

At the normal boiling point, reversible condensation releases the latent heat at constant temperature: \[ \Delta S_3 =-\frac{n_l\Delta H_{\mathrm{vap}}}{T_f} =-\frac{(0.100)(20420)}{239} =-8.54393\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}}. \]

Thus \[ \begin{aligned} \Delta S_{\mathrm{sys}} &=\Delta S_1+\Delta S_2+\Delta S_3\\ &=38.2897-8.40501-8.54393\\ &=\boxed{+21.34\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

The entropy increase from expansion exceeds the entropy decreases from cooling and condensation. The reversible reference path gives the entropy difference between the actual initial and final states, even though the actual expansion is irreversible.

7.2: Nickel complex equilibria

The species used in the reactions are identified below. The coordination SMILES use arrows for donor-to-metal bonds.

Species and name SMILES
\(\ce{H2O}\), water O
\(\ce{NH3}\), ammonia N
\(\ce{H2NCH2CH2NH2}\), ethylenediamine (ethane-1,2-diamine), abbreviated \(en\) NCCN
\(\ce{[Ni(H2O)6]^2+}\), hexaaquanickel(II) ion [Ni+2](<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])<-[OH2]
\(\ce{[Ni(NH3)2(H2O)4]^2+}\), diamminetetraaquanickel(II) ion [Ni+2](<-[NH3])(<-[NH3])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])<-[OH2]
\(\ce{[Ni(en)(H2O)4]^2+}\), tetraaqua(ethane-1,2-diamine)nickel(II) ion [Ni+2]1(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])(<-[OH2])<-[NH2]CC[NH2]->1

These complexes have octahedral coordination. Ethylenediamine binds through both nitrogen atoms at adjacent coordination sites, forming a five-membered chelate ring. The SMILES specify connectivity without assigning an octahedral stereoisomer; the problem does not distinguish cis and trans forms of the diammine complex.

The balanced reactions are \[ \ce{[Ni(H2O)6]^2+ + 2 NH3 <=> [Ni(NH3)2(H2O)4]^2+ + 2 H2O} \tag{1} \] and \[ \ce{[Ni(H2O)6]^2+ + en <=> [Ni(en)(H2O)4]^2+ + 2 H2O}. \tag{2} \]

Adding reaction (2) to the reverse of reaction (1) cancels the hexaaqua complex and water, giving \[ \ce{[Ni(NH3)2(H2O)4]^2+ + en <=> [Ni(en)(H2O)4]^2+ + 2 NH3}. \tag{3} \]

Accordingly, \[ \Delta G_3^0=\Delta G_2^0-\Delta G_1^0,\qquad \Delta H_3^0=\Delta H_2^0-\Delta H_1^0, \qquad K_{c,3}=\frac{K_{c,2}}{K_{c,1}}. \]

Equilibrium constant

\[ \ln K_{c,3}=17.78-11.60=6.18, \] so \[ \boxed{K_{c,3}=e^{6.18}=4.83\times10^2}. \]

Here concentrations are understood relative to the standard concentration, as required for a dimensionless logarithm.

Standard Gibbs energy change

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta G_3^0 &=-RT\ln K_{c,3}\\ &=-(8.314510)(298)(6.18)\\ &=-15312.3\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \] Thus \[ \boxed{\Delta G_3^0=-15.3\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \]

Standard entropy change

First, \[ \Delta H_3^0=(-37.2)-(-33.5) =-3.7\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Using \(\Delta G^0=\Delta H^0-T\Delta S^0\), \[ \begin{aligned} \Delta S_3^0 &=\frac{\Delta H_3^0-\Delta G_3^0}{T}\\ &=\frac{-3700-(-15312.3)}{298}\\ &=38.9676\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \] Therefore, \[ \boxed{\Delta S_3^0=+39.0\ \mathrm{J\,K^{-1}\,mol^{-1}}}. \]

The favorable entropy change is consistent with the chelate effect: binding one free ethylenediamine molecule releases two free ammonia molecules. The exchange is also slightly exothermic.

The solution was checked against the official solution. Where this solution differs from the official solution, the official solution contains an error or a misprint.