IChO 2008 · Theory problem 5

Two white crystalline substances

A and B are white crystalline substances. Both are highly soluble in water and can be moderately heated (up to 200 °C) without change but both decompose at higher temperatures. If an aqueous solution of 20.00 g A (which is slightly basic, pH ≈ 8.5-9) is added to an aqueous solution of 11.52 g B (which is slightly acidic, pH ≈ 4.5-5) a white precipitate C forms that weighs 20.35 g after filtering, washing and drying. The filtrate is essentially neutral and gives a brown colour reaction with an acidified \(\ce{KI}\) solution. When boiled, the filtrate evaporates without the appearance of any residue.

The white solid D can be prepared by the heating of A in the absence of air. The exothermic reaction of D with water gives a colourless solution. This solution, if kept in an open container, slowly precipitates a white solid E and leaves water. Upon prolonged exposure to air at room temperature, solid D is transformed into E as well. However, heating D in air at 500 °C produces a different white substance F, which is barely soluble in water and has a mass of only 85.8% of the E formed from the same amount of D. F gives a brown colour reaction with an acidified solution of \(\ce{KI}\).

E can be converted back into D but ignition above 1400 °C is required for this purpose. The reaction of B and D in water forms the precipitate C and is accompanied by a characteristic odour.

5.1 Give the formulae of the substances A - F

5.2 Write balanced equations for all the reactions mentioned. (The equation for the thermal decomposition of B is not required.)

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 5.1
Substance Formula Name SMILES
A \(\ce{Ba(NO2)2}\) Barium nitrite [Ba+2].[O-]N=O.[O-]N=O
B \(\ce{(NH4)2SO4}\) Ammonium sulfate [NH4+].[NH4+].[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
C \(\ce{BaSO4}\) Barium sulfate [Ba+2].[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
D \(\ce{BaO}\) Barium oxide [Ba+2].[O-2]
E \(\ce{BaCO3}\) Barium carbonate [Ba+2].[O-]C(=O)[O-]
F \(\ce{BaO2}\) Barium peroxide [Ba+2].[O-][O-]

The ionic SMILES describe formula units; they do not show the extended crystal lattices. Polyatomic anions are represented by one resonance form.

  • 5.2

The required balanced equations are: \[ \begin{aligned} &\ce{Ba(NO2)2 + (NH4)2SO4 -> BaSO4(s) + 2NH4NO2}\\ &\ce{2NO2^- + 2I^- + 4H+ -> 2NO(g) + I2 + 2H2O}\\ &\ce{NH4NO2 ->[\Delta] N2(g) + 2H2O}\\ &\ce{Ba(NO2)2 ->[\Delta] BaO + NO(g) + NO2(g)}\\ &\ce{BaO + H2O -> Ba(OH)2}\\ &\ce{Ba(OH)2 + CO2 -> BaCO3(s) + H2O}\\ &\ce{BaO + CO2 -> BaCO3}\\ &\ce{2BaO + O2 -> 2BaO2}\\ &\ce{BaO2 + 2I^- + 4H+ -> Ba^2+ + I2 + 2H2O}\\ &\ce{BaCO3 ->[\Delta] BaO + CO2(g)}\\ &\ce{(NH4)2SO4 + BaO -> BaSO4(s) + 2NH3(g) + H2O} \end{aligned} \] Here, A is heated without air; peroxide formation occurs in air at \(500\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\); carbonate decomposition requires heating above \(1400\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\). An alternative overall representation of A’s thermolysis is discussed below.

Solution

5.1 — Identification of A–F

Identifying the metal from D, E and F.
The exothermic reaction of D with water, followed by precipitation upon exposure to air, suggests a basic metal oxide that forms a soluble hydroxide. Atmospheric carbon dioxide then produces an insoluble carbonate. Thus, for a divalent metal, the likely formulae are \[ D=\ce{MO},\qquad E=\ce{MCO3}. \]

Heating the oxide in air produces an oxidizing compound F. A peroxide, \(\ce{MO2}\), explains its ability to oxidize acidified iodide.

For equal initial quantities of D, the carbonate and peroxide contain equal amounts of metal. If \(x\) is the metal’s molar mass, \[ \frac{m(F)}{m(E)} = \frac{x+32.00\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} {x+60.01\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} =0.858. \] Therefore, \[ x\approx 137\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \] which identifies barium.

Using ordinary atomic masses gives \[ \frac{M(\ce{BaO2})}{M(\ce{BaCO3})} \approx \frac{169.33}{197.33} =0.8581, \] in agreement with the stated \(85.8\%\). Hence \[ \boxed{D=\ce{BaO},\quad E=\ce{BaCO3},\quad F=\ce{BaO2}}. \]

The high temperature required to regenerate D is also consistent with the thermal stability of barium carbonate.

Identifying B and C.
The characteristic odour when B reacts with the basic oxide D indicates ammonia. Therefore, B contains ammonium ions. This also explains its slightly acidic aqueous solution.

The quantities of A and B must be essentially stoichiometric: an appreciable excess of either original salt would leave a residue on boiling. In forming C, one barium ion replaces two ammonium ions while retaining the precipitating anion. Thus, \[ n(\ce{Ba}) = \frac{m(C)-m(B)} {M(\ce{Ba})-2M(\ce{NH4+})}. \] Using \(M(\ce{Ba})=137.327\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) and \(M(\ce{NH4+})=18.039\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), \[ n(\ce{Ba}) = \frac{20.35-11.52\ \mathrm{g}} {137.327-2(18.039)\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}} \approx 0.08721\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The anionic contribution to C, per mole of barium, is therefore \[ \frac{20.35\ \mathrm{g}}{0.08721\ \mathrm{mol}} -137.327\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}} \approx96.02\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \] This agrees with sulfate, whose molar mass is approximately \(96.06\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\). Consequently, \[ \boxed{B=\ce{(NH4)2SO4},\qquad C=\ce{BaSO4}}. \]

Identifying A and the filtrate.
There is one barium atom per formula unit of A, so \[ M(A)\approx \frac{20.00\ \mathrm{g}}{0.08721\ \mathrm{mol}} =229.3\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \] Subtracting the barium contribution leaves approximately \[ 229.3-137.3=92.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \] This corresponds to two nitrite ions, each approximately \(46.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\). Thus, \[ \boxed{A=\ce{Ba(NO2)2}}. \]

The filtrate is consequently ammonium nitrite. It accounts for both remaining observations:

  • Nitrite oxidizes iodide to brown iodine in acidic solution.
  • Ammonium nitrite decomposes on heating into nitrogen and water, leaving no solid residue.

The acid–base behaviour also agrees with the identification: \[ \ce{NO2^- + H2O <=> HNO2 + OH^-}, \] which explains the slightly basic solution of A, and \[ \ce{NH4+ + H2O <=> NH3 + H3O+}, \] which explains the slightly acidic solution of B. The filtrate contains no excess strong acid or strong base; “essentially neutral” need not mean exactly \(\mathrm{pH}=7\).

Numerical check of the precipitation.

Substance Molar mass / \(\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) Amount calculated from the stated mass / \(\mathrm{mol}\)
\(\ce{Ba(NO2)2}\) 229.337 0.0872079
\(\ce{(NH4)2SO4}\) 132.139 0.0871812
\(\ce{BaSO4}\) 233.388 0.0871939

These amounts agree within the rounding of the supplied masses. Taking the displayed reactant masses literally, the calculated precipitate mass is \[ m(\ce{BaSO4}) = 0.0871812\ \mathrm{mol} \times233.388\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}} = 20.3471\ \mathrm{g} \approx\boxed{20.35\ \mathrm{g}}. \]

5.2 — Explanation of the reactions

Precipitation and behaviour of the filtrate.
Mixing A and B precipitates barium sulfate and leaves ammonium nitrite in solution: \[ \ce{Ba(NO2)2 + (NH4)2SO4 -> BaSO4(s) + 2NH4NO2}. \]

In the acidified iodide test, nitrogen in nitrite is reduced from oxidation state \(+3\) to \(+2\), while iodide is oxidized to iodine: \[ \ce{2NO2^- + 2I^- + 4H+ -> 2NO(g) + I2 + 2H2O}. \] On boiling, the ammonium nitrite undergoes internal oxidation–reduction: \[ \ce{NH4NO2 ->[\Delta] N2(g) + 2H2O}. \] Its two nitrogen atoms, initially at oxidation states \(-3\) and \(+3\), both end at \(0\).

Preparation and hydration of D.
A balanced overall representation of barium nitrite thermolysis is \[ \ce{Ba(NO2)2 ->[\Delta] BaO + NO(g) + NO2(g)}. \] At high temperature, nitrogen dioxide can dissociate: \[ \ce{2NO2 <=> 2NO + O2}. \] Including this dissociation gives the alternative overall form \[ \ce{2Ba(NO2)2 ->[\Delta] 2BaO + 4NO(g) + O2(g)}. \]

The resulting barium oxide reacts exothermically with water: \[ \ce{BaO + H2O -> Ba(OH)2}. \]

Formation of E from solution or directly from D.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide precipitates barium carbonate from the hydroxide solution: \[ \ce{Ba(OH)2 + CO2 -> BaCO3(s) + H2O}. \] The overall conversion of the solid oxide during prolonged exposure to air is \[ \ce{BaO + CO2 -> BaCO3}. \] Moisture can facilitate this conversion through hydration followed by carbonation.

Formation and iodide test of F.
At \(500\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\), oxygen converts barium oxide into barium peroxide: \[ \ce{2BaO + O2 -> 2BaO2}. \] In acidic solution, the peroxide oxygens are reduced from oxidation state \(-1\) to \(-2\), oxidizing iodide: \[ \ce{BaO2 + 2I^- + 4H+ -> Ba^2+ + I2 + 2H2O}. \]

Regeneration of D and reaction of B with D.
Above \(1400\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\), \[ \ce{BaCO3 ->[\Delta] BaO + CO2(g)}. \] Finally, barium oxide neutralizes ammonium ions while barium sulfate precipitates: \[ \ce{(NH4)2SO4 + BaO -> BaSO4(s) + 2NH3(g) + H2O}. \] The characteristic odour is that of ammonia.

For completeness, the additional molecular and ionic species used in the solution have the following names and SMILES:

Species Name SMILES
\(\ce{NH4NO2}\) Ammonium nitrite [NH4+].[O-]N=O
\(\ce{Ba(OH)2}\) Barium hydroxide [Ba+2].[OH-].[OH-]
\(\ce{Ba^2+}\) Barium(II) ion [Ba+2]
\(\ce{NH4+}\) Ammonium ion [NH4+]
\(\ce{NO2^-}\) Nitrite ion [O-]N=O
\(\ce{SO4^2-}\) Sulfate ion [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{HNO2}\) Nitrous acid O=NO
\(\ce{OH^-}\) Hydroxide ion [OH-]
\(\ce{H3O+}\) Hydronium ion [OH3+]
\(\ce{H+}\) Hydrogen ion, represented formally as a proton [H+]
\(\ce{I^-}\) Iodide ion [I-]
\(\ce{I2}\) Iodine II
\(\ce{H2O}\) Water O
\(\ce{CO2}\) Carbon dioxide O=C=O
\(\ce{O2}\) Dioxygen O=O
\(\ce{N2}\) Dinitrogen N#N
\(\ce{NH3}\) Ammonia N
\(\ce{NO}\) Nitrogen monoxide, nitric oxide [N]=O
\(\ce{NO2}\) Nitrogen dioxide [O-][N+]=O

The proton notation represents solvated acidity in the aqueous equations. The dioxygen SMILES gives connectivity but does not encode its triplet ground state.

The solution was checked against the official solution.