IChO 2011 · Theory problem 1

Kinetics of the reaction of nitric oxide with hydrogen

Nitrogen oxides, common pollutants in the ambient air, are primarily nitric oxide, \(\ce{NO}\), and nitrogen dioxide, \(\ce{NO2}\). Atmospheric nitric oxide is produced mainly during thunderstorms and in the internal combustion engines. At high temperatures \(\ce{NO}\) reacts with \(\ce{H2}\) to produce nitrous oxide, \(\ce{N2O}\), a greenhouse gas.

Figure 1

To study the kinetics of this reaction at \(820\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\), initial rates for the formation of \(\ce{N2O}\) were measured using various initial partial pressures of \(\ce{NO}\) and \(\ce{H2}\).

Exp. Initial pressure, torr: \(p_{\ce{NO}}\) Initial pressure, torr: \(p_{\ce{H2}}\) Initial rate of production of \(\ce{N2O}\), torr \(\mathrm{s^{-1}}\)
1 120.0 60.0 \(8.66\cdot10^{-2}\)
2 60.0 60.0 \(2.17\cdot10^{-2}\)
3 60.0 180.0 \(6.62\cdot10^{-2}\)

Throughout this problem do not use concentrations. Use units of pressure (torr) and time in seconds.

1.1 Determine the experimental rate law and calculate the rate constant.

1.2 Calculate the initial rate of disappearance of \(\ce{NO}\), if \(\ce{NO}\) with a pressure of \(2.00\cdot10^{2}\) torr and \(\ce{H2}\) with \(1.00\cdot10^{2}\) torr are mixed at \(820\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\).

(If you have been unable to calculate the value for the rate constant, you can use the value of \(2\cdot10^{-7}\) in appropriate unit.)

1.3 Calculate the time elapsed to reduce the partial pressure of \(\ce{H2}\) to the half of its initial value, if \(\ce{NO}\) with a pressure of \(8.00\cdot10^{2}\) torr and \(\ce{H2}\) with \(1.0\) torr are mixed at \(820\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\).

(If you have been unable to calculate the value for the rate constant, you can use the value of \(2\cdot10^{-7}\) in appropriate unit.)

A proposed mechanism for the reaction between \(\ce{NO}\) and \(\ce{H2}\) is given below:

Figure 2

1.4 Derive the rate law for the formation of \(\ce{N2O}\) from the proposed mechanism using the steady-state approximation for the intermediate.

1.5 Under what condition does this rate law reduce to the experimentally determined rate law found in Part 1.1? Tick the relevant answer.

  • \(\square\) If \(k_{-1}\ll k_2p_{\ce{H2}}\)
  • \(\square\) If \(k_{-1}\gg k_2p_{\ce{H2}}\)
  • \(\square\) If \(k_{-1}>k_2\)
  • \(\square\) If \(k_1>k_{-1}\)

1.6 Express the experimentally determined rate constant \(k\) in terms of \(k_1\), \(k_{-1}\) and \(k_2\).

1.7 Select the schematic energy diagram that is consistent with the proposed reaction mechanism and experimental rate law.

Figure 3
Figure 4

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 1.1 \[ \boxed{r=\frac{dp_{\ce{N2O}}}{dt}=kp_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}}, \qquad k\approx1.0\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}.} \] Second order in \(\ce{NO}\), first order in \(\ce{H2}\), third order overall.

  • 1.2 \[ \boxed{-\left.\frac{dp_{\ce{NO}}}{dt}\right|_0 \approx0.80\ \mathrm{torr\,s^{-1}}.} \]

  • 1.3 \[ \boxed{t_{1/2}\approx11\ \mathrm{s}} \] (\(10.8\ \mathrm{s}\) using the large-excess approximation).

  • 1.4 \[ \boxed{\frac{dp_{\ce{N2O}}}{dt} =\frac{k_1k_2p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}}} {k_{-1}+k_2p_{\ce{H2}}}.} \]

  • 1.5 Tick the second option: \[ \boxed{k_{-1}\gg k_2p_{\ce{H2}}.} \]

  • 1.6 \[ \boxed{k=\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}}.} \]

  • 1.7 Diagram d.

Solution

The molecular names and SMILES used here are:

Formula Name SMILES
\(\ce{NO}\) Nitric oxide [N]=O
\(\ce{NO2}\) Nitrogen dioxide O=[N+][O-]
\(\ce{H2}\) Hydrogen [H][H]
\(\ce{N2O}\) Nitrous oxide N#[N+][O-]
\(\ce{H2O}\) Water O
\(\ce{N2O2}\) Dinitrogen dioxide, the nitric oxide dimer O=NN=O

The dimer SMILES represents its connectivity; the problem does not specify its conformation.

1.1

The balanced overall reaction is

\[ \ce{2NO(g) + H2(g) -> N2O(g) + H2O(g)}. \]

Using partial pressures at constant temperature and volume, define

\[ r=\frac{dp_{\ce{N2O}}}{dt} =-\frac{dp_{\ce{H2}}}{dt} =-\frac12\frac{dp_{\ce{NO}}}{dt}. \]

Assume an experimental rate law

\[ r=kp_{\ce{NO}}^{\,m}p_{\ce{H2}}^{\,n}. \]

Experiments 1 and 2 have the same hydrogen pressure. Therefore,

\[ \frac{r_1}{r_2} =\frac{8.66\times10^{-2}}{2.17\times10^{-2}} =3.99 =\left(\frac{120.0}{60.0}\right)^m. \]

Thus \(m\approx2\).

Experiments 2 and 3 have the same nitric oxide pressure:

\[ \frac{r_3}{r_2} =\frac{6.62\times10^{-2}}{2.17\times10^{-2}} =3.05 =\left(\frac{180.0}{60.0}\right)^n. \]

Thus \(n\approx1\). The integer-order law supported by the data is consequently

\[ \boxed{r=kp_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}}}. \]

Using experiment 1,

\[ k= \frac{8.66\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{torr\,s^{-1}}} {(120.0\ \mathrm{torr})^2(60.0\ \mathrm{torr})} =1.0023\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}. \]

Experiments 2 and 3 give \(1.0046\times10^{-7}\) and \(1.0216\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}\), respectively. Allowing for the small scatter,

\[ \boxed{k\approx1.0\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}}. \]

The following numerical calculations use \(k=1.00\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}\).

1.2

Two molecules of nitric oxide disappear for every molecule of nitrous oxide produced. Hence,

\[ -\left.\frac{dp_{\ce{NO}}}{dt}\right|_0 =2kp_{\ce{NO},0}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2},0}. \]

Substitution gives

\[ \begin{aligned} -\left.\frac{dp_{\ce{NO}}}{dt}\right|_0 &=2(1.00\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}) (2.00\times10^2\ \mathrm{torr})^2 (1.00\times10^2\ \mathrm{torr})\\ &=\boxed{0.80\ \mathrm{torr\,s^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

1.3

Hydrogen initially has a pressure of \(1.0\ \mathrm{torr}\), whereas nitric oxide has \(800\ \mathrm{torr}\). When the hydrogen pressure falls to \(0.50\ \mathrm{torr}\), the nitric oxide pressure decreases by only

\[ 2(1.0-0.50)=1.0\ \mathrm{torr}. \]

Thus \(p_{\ce{NO}}\) changes from \(800\) to \(799\ \mathrm{torr}\), so treating it as constant is an excellent approximation.

The hydrogen disappearance law becomes

\[ -\frac{dp_{\ce{H2}}}{dt} =kp_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}} \approx k_{\mathrm{obs}}p_{\ce{H2}}, \]

where

\[ k_{\mathrm{obs}} =(1.00\times10^{-7})(800)^2\ \mathrm{s^{-1}} =0.0640\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}. \]

Integration gives

\[ \ln\!\left(\frac{p_{\ce{H2},0}}{p_{\ce{H2}}}\right) =k_{\mathrm{obs}}t. \]

At half the initial hydrogen pressure,

\[ t_{1/2} =\frac{\ln2}{0.0640\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}} =10.8\ \mathrm{s} \approx\boxed{11\ \mathrm{s}}. \]

As a check, retaining the small nitric oxide depletion gives

\[ p_{\ce{NO}}=798.0\ \mathrm{torr}+2p_{\ce{H2}}, \]

and therefore

\[ t_{1/2} =\frac1k \int_{0.50\ \mathrm{torr}}^{1.0\ \mathrm{torr}} \frac{dp}{p(798.0\ \mathrm{torr}+2p)^2} =10.85\ \mathrm{s}. \]

This differs from the large-excess approximation by only \(0.14\%\).

1.4

The two elementary steps are

\[ \ce{2NO(g) <=>[k_1][k_{-1}] N2O2(g)} \]

and

\[ \ce{N2O2(g) + H2(g) ->[k_2] N2O(g) + H2O(g)}. \]

The intermediate is dinitrogen dioxide. Its pressure changes according to

\[ \frac{dp_{\ce{N2O2}}}{dt} =k_1p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2} -k_{-1}p_{\ce{N2O2}} -k_2p_{\ce{N2O2}}p_{\ce{H2}}. \]

Under the steady-state approximation, its formation and consumption rates approximately balance:

\[ 0\approx k_1p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2} -\left(k_{-1}+k_2p_{\ce{H2}}\right)p_{\ce{N2O2}}. \]

Consequently,

\[ p_{\ce{N2O2}} \approx\frac{k_1p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}} {k_{-1}+k_2p_{\ce{H2}}}. \]

Nitrous oxide is formed in the second step, giving

\[ \frac{dp_{\ce{N2O}}}{dt} =k_2p_{\ce{N2O2}}p_{\ce{H2}} =\boxed{\frac{k_1k_2p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}}} {k_{-1}+k_2p_{\ce{H2}}}}. \]

1.5

To recover a first-order dependence on hydrogen, the denominator must be approximately independent of its pressure. This requires

\[ \boxed{k_{-1}\gg k_2p_{\ce{H2}}}. \]

Then

\[ r\approx\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}} p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}}, \]

which matches the experimental law. Thus the second checkbox should be ticked.

Physically, the intermediate dissociates back into nitric oxide much faster than it reacts with hydrogen. Under the opposite limiting condition, the hydrogen pressure would cancel from the rate law, giving \(r\approx k_1p_{\ce{NO}}^2\), contrary to experiment.

1.6

Comparing

\[ r\approx\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}} p_{\ce{NO}}^{\,2}p_{\ce{H2}} \]

with the experimental expression gives

\[ \boxed{k=\frac{k_1k_2}{k_{-1}}}. \]

Here \(k_1\) and \(k_2\) have units \(\mathrm{torr^{-1}\,s^{-1}}\), while \(k_{-1}\) has units \(\mathrm{s^{-1}}\). Their combination therefore has the required units \(\mathrm{torr^{-2}\,s^{-1}}\).

1.7

The correct choice is diagram d.

Two elementary steps require two transition-state maxima separated by an intermediate minimum. Among the proposed diagrams, c and d have this form.

In diagram d, the barrier from the intermediate back to the reactants is small, while the barrier from the intermediate toward products is much larger. This is consistent with

\[ k_{-1}\gg k_2p_{\ce{H2}}, \]

and hence with the observed rate law.

Precisely, diagram d starts at the reactant energy, rises over a small first maximum, falls into a shallow intermediate minimum, rises to a much higher second maximum, and finally falls to products below the reactants.

The solution was checked against the official solution.