IChO 2014 · Theory problem 5

Acid-base equilibria in water

A solution (X) contains two weak monoprotic acids (those having one acidic proton); \(\ce{HA}\) with the acid dissociation constant of \(K_{\ce{HA}}=1.74\times10^{-7}\), and \(\ce{HB}\) with the acid dissociation constant of \(K_{\ce{HB}}=1.34\times10^{-7}\). The solution X has a pH of 3.75.

5.1 Titration of \(100\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of solution X requires \(100\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of \(\ce{NaOH}\) solution (\(c=0.220\ \mathrm{mol\cdot dm^{-3}}\)) for completion. Calculate the initial (total) concentration (\(\mathrm{mol\cdot dm^{-3}}\)) of each acid in the solution X.

Use reasonable approximations where appropriate. [\(K_w=1.00\times10^{-14}\) at 298 K]

5.2 Calculate the pH of the solution Y in which the concentration of \(\ce{NaA}\) initially was \(6.00\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\cdot dm^{-3}}\) and that of \(\ce{NaB}\) \(4.00\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\cdot dm^{-3}}\).

5.3 Adding large amounts of distilled water to solution X gives a very (infinitely) dilute solution where the total concentrations of the acids are close to zero. Calculate the percentage of dissociation of each acid in this dilute solution.

5.4. A buffer solution is added to solution Y to maintain a pH of 10.0. Assume no change in volume of the resulting solution Z. Calculate the solubility (in \(\mathrm{mol\cdot dm^{-3}}\)) of the substance \(\ce{M(OH)2}\) in Z, taking into consideration that the anions \(\ce{A^-}\) and \(\ce{B^-}\) can form complexes with \(\ce{M^{2+}}\):

Figure 1

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 5.1: Using the full equilibrium balances, \[ C_{\ce{HA}}\approx5.42\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}},\qquad C_{\ce{HB}}\approx1.66\times10^{-1}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \] The permitted weak-dissociation approximation gives \(5.36\times10^{-2}\) and \(1.66\times10^{-1}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\), respectively.
  • 5.2: \(\boxed{\mathrm{pH}=9.90}\).
  • 5.3: \(\boxed{\ce{HA}:63.5\%,\qquad \ce{HB}:57.3\%}\).
  • 5.4: \(\boxed{s\bigl(\ce{M(OH)2}\bigr)\approx5.1\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}\).

Solution

The acids, conjugate bases, salts and metal complexes are specified only by generic symbols. Their chemical identities, unique SMILES and coordination geometries cannot be inferred. The explicitly identified species used below are water O, hydronium ion [OH3+], hydroxide ion [OH-], sodium ion [Na+], and sodium hydroxide [Na+].[OH-].

Write \(K_A=K_{\ce{HA}}\), \(K_B=K_{\ce{HB}}\), and \(h=[\ce{H3O+}]\).

5.1 — Initial total concentrations

Both acids are monoprotic, so their neutralization reactions are

\[ \ce{HA + OH^- -> A^- + H2O}, \] \[ \ce{HB + OH^- -> B^- + H2O}. \]

Thus, the amount of hydroxide required equals the combined amount of the two acids:

\[ n_{\text{acids}} =(0.100\ \mathrm{dm^3})(0.220\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}) =0.0220\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Define the analytical concentrations

\[ C_A=[\ce{HA}]+[\ce{A^-}],\qquad C_B=[\ce{HB}]+[\ce{B^-}]. \]

Since the original sample volume is \(0.100\ \mathrm{dm^3}\),

\[ C_A+C_B=0.220\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \tag{1} \]

The acid equilibria are

\[ \ce{HA + H2O <=> H3O+ + A^-}, \qquad K_A=\frac{h[\ce{A^-}]}{[\ce{HA}]}, \]

\[ \ce{HB + H2O <=> H3O+ + B^-}, \qquad K_B=\frac{h[\ce{B^-}]}{[\ce{HB}]}. \]

The specified pH gives

\[ h=10^{-3.75}=1.77828\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Combining each dissociation equilibrium with its material balance gives

\[ [\ce{A^-}]=\frac{K_A C_A}{h+K_A}, \qquad [\ce{B^-}]=\frac{K_B C_B}{h+K_B}. \]

Electroneutrality requires

\[ h=[\ce{A^-}]+[\ce{B^-}]+[\ce{OH^-}], \]

hence

\[ h-\frac{K_w}{h} =\frac{K_A C_A}{h+K_A} +\frac{K_B C_B}{h+K_B}. \tag{2} \]

Solving (1) and (2) gives

\[ C_A=0.0542179\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \qquad C_B=0.1657821\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \boxed{C_{\ce{HA}}\approx5.42\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}, \] \[ \boxed{C_{\ce{HB}}\approx1.66\times10^{-1}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

For the permitted approximation, \(h\gg K_A,K_B\), so each acid is only slightly dissociated and hydroxide is negligible. Equation (2) then becomes

\[ h^2\approx K_A C_A+K_B C_B. \]

Using \(C_B=0.220-C_A\),

\[ C_A\approx \frac{10^{-7.50}-(1.34\times10^{-7})(0.220)} {1.74\times10^{-7}-1.34\times10^{-7}} =0.0535694\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \]

\[ C_B\approx0.166431\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

The small difference from the full calculation is amplified because the two acid dissociation constants are close.

5.2 — pH of solution Y

The anions undergo base hydrolysis:

\[ \ce{A^- + H2O <=> HA + OH^-}, \] \[ \ce{B^- + H2O <=> HB + OH^-}. \]

Their base dissociation constants are

\[ K_{b,A}=\frac{K_w}{K_A} =\frac{1.00\times10^{-14}}{1.74\times10^{-7}} =5.7471\times10^{-8}, \]

\[ K_{b,B}=\frac{K_w}{K_B} =\frac{1.00\times10^{-14}}{1.34\times10^{-7}} =7.4627\times10^{-8}. \]

Let \(x=[\ce{OH^-}]\). Because hydrolysis is slight,

\[ [\ce{A^-}]\approx0.0600\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \qquad [\ce{B^-}]\approx0.0400\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Both hydrolysis reactions share the same hydroxide concentration:

\[ [\ce{HA}]\approx\frac{K_{b,A}(0.0600)}{x}, \qquad [\ce{HB}]\approx\frac{K_{b,B}(0.0400)}{x}. \]

Material and charge balances give

\[ x=[\ce{HA}]+[\ce{HB}]+h \approx[\ce{HA}]+[\ce{HB}], \]

so

\[ x^2\approx K_{b,A}(0.0600)+K_{b,B}(0.0400). \]

Consequently,

\[ x=\sqrt{(5.7471\times10^{-8})(0.0600) +(7.4627\times10^{-8})(0.0400)} =8.0208\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Thus,

\[ \mathrm{pOH}=4.0958, \qquad \mathrm{pH}=14.0000-4.0958=9.9042, \]

\[ \boxed{\mathrm{pH}=9.90}. \]

Less than \(0.1\%\) of either anion is protonated, validating the approximation.

5.3 — Dissociation at infinite dilution

Water undergoes autoionization:

\[ \ce{2H2O <=> H3O+ + OH^-}. \]

As both acid concentrations approach zero, their contributions to the charge balance vanish. Therefore,

\[ h\longrightarrow\sqrt{K_w} =1.00\times10^{-7}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

For either acid, the fraction dissociated is

\[ \alpha=\frac{[\text{conjugate base}]} {[\text{acid}]+[\text{conjugate base}]} =\frac{K_a}{K_a+h}. \]

Hence,

\[ 100\alpha_A =100\frac{1.74\times10^{-7}} {1.74\times10^{-7}+1.00\times10^{-7}} =\boxed{63.5\%}, \]

\[ 100\alpha_B =100\frac{1.34\times10^{-7}} {1.34\times10^{-7}+1.00\times10^{-7}} =\boxed{57.3\%}. \]

Neither limiting percentage is \(100\%\), because water maintains a nonzero hydronium concentration comparable to the given acid dissociation constants.

5.4 — Solubility in buffered solution Z

The dissolution equilibrium is

\[ \ce{M(OH)2(s) <=> M^{2+} + 2OH^-}, \]

\[ K_{\mathrm{sp}}=[\ce{M^{2+}}][\ce{OH^-}]^2 =3.10\times10^{-12}. \]

At the maintained pH of 10.0,

\[ h=1.00\times10^{-10}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \qquad [\ce{OH^-}]=\frac{K_w}{h} =1.00\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Therefore, the free metal-ion concentration is fixed:

\[ m=[\ce{M^{2+}}] =\frac{3.10\times10^{-12}}{(1.00\times10^{-4})^2} =3.10\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \tag{3} \]

The complex-formation equilibria are

Reaction Stepwise formation constant
\(\ce{M^{2+} + A^- <=> [MA]^+}\) \(K_1=2.1\times10^3\)
\(\ce{[MA]^+ + A^- <=> [MA2]}\) \(K_2=5.0\times10^2\)
\(\ce{M^{2+} + B^- <=> [MB]^+}\) \(K'_1=6.2\times10^3\)
\(\ce{[MB]^+ + B^- <=> [MB2]}\) \(K'_2=3.3\times10^2\)

Let \(a=[\ce{A^-}]\) and \(b=[\ce{B^-}]\). Then

\[ [\ce{[MA]^+}]=K_1ma, \qquad [\ce{[MA2]}]=K_1K_2ma^2, \]

\[ [\ce{[MB]^+}]=K'_1mb, \qquad [\ce{[MB2]}]=K'_1K'_2mb^2. \]

Complex formation consumes substantial quantities of both ligands, so their free concentrations must be obtained from their material balances. With no volume change,

\[ 0.0600=a+[\ce{HA}]+[\ce{[MA]^+}] +2[\ce{[MA2]}], \]

\[ 0.0400=b+[\ce{HB}]+[\ce{[MB]^+}] +2[\ce{[MB2]}]. \]

The factors of two account for the two ligands in each neutral complex. Since

\[ [\ce{HA}]=\frac{h}{K_A}a,\qquad [\ce{HB}]=\frac{h}{K_B}b, \]

the balances become

\[ 2K_1K_2ma^2+ \left(1+\frac{h}{K_A}+K_1m\right)a=0.0600, \]

\[ 2K'_1K'_2mb^2+ \left(1+\frac{h}{K_B}+K'_1m\right)b=0.0400. \]

Numerically, with concentrations entered in \(\mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\),

\[ 651.0a^2+1.651575a-0.0600=0, \]

\[ 1268.52b^2+2.922746b-0.0400=0. \]

The positive roots are

\[ a=8.41526\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \qquad b=4.58033\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Substitution into the formation expressions gives the dissolved metal concentrations below; extra digits are retained for summation.

Metal-containing species Concentration \((\mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}})\)
\(\ce{M^{2+}}\) \(0.000310000\)
\(\ce{[MA]^+}\) \(0.00547833\)
\(\ce{[MA2]}\) \(0.0230508\)
\(\ce{[MB]^+}\) \(0.00880340\)
\(\ce{[MB2]}\) \(0.0133064\)

Each species contains one metal atom. The solubility is therefore

\[ \begin{aligned} s={}&[\ce{M^{2+}}]+[\ce{[MA]^+}]+[\ce{[MA2]}]\\ &+[\ce{[MB]^+}]+[\ce{[MB2]}]\\ ={}&0.0509489\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \end{aligned} \]

Thus,

\[ \boxed{s\bigl(\ce{M(OH)2}\bigr)\approx 5.1\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

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.