Topic outline

  • UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

           Key unit competency

    Apply IUPAC rules to name organic compounds and explain types of isomers for 
    organic compounds
    Learning objectives: Students will Should able to:
    • Classify organic compounds as aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic
    • Determine different formulae for given organic compounds
    • Describe the common functional groups and relate them to the homologous 
    series
    • Use IUPAC rules to name different organic compounds

    • Describe the isomers of organic compounds

        Introductory Activity

    Consider the following substances: Sodium chloride, starch, table sugar, 
    magnesium carbonate, glucose, sodium hydrogen carbonate, water.

    1. Heat a small sample of each ( 5g for solids, 5ml for liquids) in a crucible
    2. Record your observations.
    3. From the observations, classify the substances listed above. 
    4. What criterion do you use for that classification? 

    5. Interpret your observations

    Organic chemistry is defined as the study of the compounds mainly composed by 
    carbon and hydrogen atoms, and sometimes oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur 
    and halogens atoms. The study of the rest of the elements and their compounds falls 
    under the group of inorganic chemistry. However, there are some exceptions such 
    as carbonates, cyanides, carbides, carbon oxides, carbonic acid, carbon disulphide 
    which are considered as inorganic compounds. Since various organic compounds 
    contained carbon associated with hydrogen, they are considered as derived from 
    hydrocarbons. Thus, a more precise definition of organic chemistry is: “the study of 

    hydrocarbons and the compounds which could be thought of as their derivatives’’.

    The organic and inorganic compounds can be differentiated based on some of their 

    properties as summarised in the following table.

    Table 1.1 General features of organic and inorganic compounds 

           

    Why to study organic chemistry as a separate branch?
    The organic chemistry involves the study of all chemical reactions that are commonly 
    used in industries and many other organic reactions that take place in living systems. 
    Materials used in everyday life, food processing and other manufacturing objects are 
    obtained based on organic chemistry. Some other reasons are highlighted below.

    • Large number of compounds: up to now, no one knows exactly the number 
    of organic compounds that are present in nature.
    • Built of relatively few elements: The elements frequently encountered 
    in organic compounds are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, 
    phosphorous, and halogens;
    • Unique characteristic of carbon to undergo catenation: carbon atom is 
    unique among other elements whose atoms possess the capacity to unite 
    with each other by the covalent bonds resulting in a long chain of carbons ( i.e: 
    polysaccharides, proteins, polyesters, polyamides…).
    Isomerism is the existence of compounds that have the same molecular formula 
    but different arrangements of atoms; these compounds are called “isomers”.
    • Functional groups as basis of classification: Organic molecules contain 
    active atoms or groups of atoms which determine their chemical behaviour. 
    These are called functional groups joined in a specific manner. Therefore, 
    organic compounds with similar functional groups display similar properties 

    and form a class.

    • Combustibility: organic compounds are combustible.
    • Nature of chemical reactions: organic compounds being formed by covalent 

    bonds, they are slow and often have a low yield.

    Importance of organic chemistry 

    The organic chemistry is a subject that plays an important role in modern life. In 
    general, there is no art, science or industry where knowledge of organic chemistry 

    is not applied.

    Examples where organic chemistry is applied:

    1) Application in daily life. 

    In our day-to-day life, we find many substances or materials that are commonly used 
    and the later are made of organic compounds.
    • Food: starch, fats, proteins, vegetables,...
    • Clothes: cotton, wool, nylon, dacron, ....
    • Fuels: petrol, diesel oil, and kerosene
    • Dyes of all kinds
    • Cosmetics (body lotion,…)
    • Soaps and detergents
    • Medicine: cortisone, sulphonamide, penicillin,…
    • Drugs: morphine, cocaine,...
    • Stationery: pencils, paper, writing ink,…

    • Insecticides, rodenticides, ovicides …

    2) Applications in industry

    The knowledge of organic chemistry is required in many industries such as 
    manufacture of food, pharmacy, manufacture of dyes and explosives, alcohol 

    industry, soil fertilisers, petroleum industry, etc.

    3) Study of life processes

    Organic chemistry in other words is the chemistry of life. For example the vitamins, 
    enzymes, proteins and hormones are important organic compounds produced in 

    our body to ensure its proper development.

    1.1. Classification of organic compounds

               

            Organic compounds are classified as: aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic (Figure 1.1)

               

                     (https://chemistry.tutorvista.com/organic-chemistry/hydrocarbons.html) ;

    1.1.1. Aliphatic compounds
    Aliphatic compounds are organic compounds in which the carbon atoms are 
    arranged in a straight or branched chain.

    Examples 

                   

                                 

        1.1.2. Alicyclic compounds

    Alicyclic compounds are organic compounds that contain one or more carbon rings 
    that may be saturated or unsaturated.

    Example: 1) cyclobutane

                           

     1.1.3. Aromatic compounds

    Aromatic compounds are compounds that contain a closed ring that consists of 
    alternating single and double bonds with delocalised pi electrons.

    Example: 

                        

    Aromatic compounds are designated as monocyclic, bicyclic and tricyclic if they 

    contain one, two or three rings, respectively.

    Examples:

                          

    Note: Heterocyclic compounds: Are also classified as cyclic compounds which 
    include one or two atoms other than carbon (O, N, S) in the ring.Thus furan, thiophene 

    and pyridine are heterocyclic compounds.

                 

    Checking up 1.1:
    Observe the following compounds and classify them as aliphatic, alicyclic and 

    aromatic.

                       

         1.2. Types of formulas for organic compounds

                  Activity 1.2

    1. Explain the terms empirical, molecular and structural formulae.
    2. Use examples of organic compounds to differentiate the types of the 

    formulae above.

    Atoms bond together to form molecules and each molecule has a chemical formula. 
    In organic chemistry, we can distinguish empirical, molecular and structural formulas.

    1.2.1. Empirical formula
    The empirical formula is the simplest formula which expresses the ratio of the 
    number of atoms of each element present in a particular compound. The empirical 
    formula is determined using the percentage composition according to the 
    following steps.

    i. The percentage of each element, considered as grams of that element in 
    100g of the compound, is divided by its atomic mass. This gives the number 
    of moles of the element in 100g of the compound.
    ii. The result in i. is then divided by the lowest ratio (number of moles in 100g 
    of the compound), seeking the smallest whole number ratio. 
    iii. If the atomic ratios obtained in ii. are not the whole number, they should 
    be multiplied by a suitable common factor to convert each of them to the 
    whole numbers (or approximatively equal to the whole numbers). Minor 

    fractions are ignored by rounding up or down (ex: 7.95 = 8).

    Example 

    An analysis of organic compound showed that it has 39.13% carbon, 52.23% 
    oxygen and the remaining is hydrogen. Determine the empirical formula of the 

    compound.

                     

       Note: 2.65 can not be adjusted to 3 and it is multiplied by 3 equals to 7.95 which 
    is rounded to 8.

    1.1.2. Molecular formula
    The molecular formula is a formula expressing the exact number of atoms of each 
    element present in a molecule.

    Molecular formula = Empirical formula x n 

                 

    Note: When n = 1, the molecular formula is the same as the empirical formula.

    Example 1: 
    An organic compound contains 31.9% by mass of carbon, 6.8% hydrogen and 18.51% 
    nitrogen and the remaining percentage accounts for oxygen. The compound has a 

    vapour density of 37.5. Calculate the molecular formula of that compound.

        Answer:  

                        

         Vapour density = a half molecular mass

         Molecular mass = 2 x vapour density = 2 x 37.5 = 75g/mol

            

            Hence the molecular formula = empirical formula 

             Example 2:

    0.45g of an organic acid on combustion gave 0.44g of carbon dioxide and 0.09g 

    of water. If the molecular mass of the acid is 90, deduce the molecular formula.

         Answer: 

     • Percentage of carbon in CO2 : x x100 =26.66%
     • Percentage of hydrogen in H2 O: x x100 =2.22% 

    • Percentage of oxygen = 100 – (26.66 + 2.22) = 71.12%   

                  

      Note: From the above calculations, we can extend our generalized expression:

                  % of Oxygen = 100 – (% hydrohen + % carbon)

       Finding formulae by combustion method
    the formula of a hydrocarbon can be found from the results of combustion experiment. 
    A hydrocarbon in vapour phase is burned more than oxygen to form carbon dioxide 
    and water vapour. When the mixture of gases is cooled to room temperature, water 
    vapour condenses to occupy a very small volume. The gaseous mixture consists of 
    carbon dioxide and unused oxygen. The volumes of carbon dioxide can be found by 
    absorbing it in an alkali. From the volumes of gases, the equation for the reaction 

    and the formula of hydrocarbon can be found.

    The combustion method can be used for other compounds also, e.g. ammonia

     Example 1: 
    when 100cm3 of hydrocarbon X burn in 500cm3 of oxygen, 50cm3 of oxygen are 
    unused, 300cm3 of carbon dioxide are formed and 300cm3 of steam are formed. 

    Deduce the equation for the reaction and the formula of the hydrocarbon

    Answer:

                          

        Example 2: 

     10cm3 of a hydrocarbon, Ca Hb, are exploded with an excess of oxygen.
     A contractionb 
    of 35cm3
     occurs, all volumes being measured at room temperature and pressure. 
    On treatment of the products with sodium hydroxide solution,
    a contraction of 
    40cm3 occurs. Deduce the formula of the hydrocarbon

                  

    1.2.3. Structural formulas

    Structural formula shows how the different atoms in a molecule are bonded 
    (i.e. linked or connected)
    There are three types of structural formulas: displayed, condensed and skeletal 

    (stick) formulas.

    Example:

                    

       Note: Stick formula is also considered as structural formula.

                    
    1.3. Functional groups and homologous series

    1.3.1 Functional groups

     Activity: 1.3.1

    Using books or internet, explain the term functional group and point out some 

    common functional groups.

    A functional group is an atom or group of atoms in a molecule which determines 
    the characteristic properties of that molecule. Examples of some fuctionnal groups 

    are indicated in the Table 1.2.

    Table 1.2: Name and give examples of functional groups in organic compounds 

               

       1.3.2. Homologous series

         Activity 1.3.2.

    By doing your own research, provide the meaning of “homologous series”. What 
    are the characteristics of such a series? Illustrate your answer by using examples 

    of alkanes, alcohols, carboxylic acids.

    When members of a class of compounds having similar structures are arranged in 
    order of increasing molecular mass, they are said to constitute a homologous series. 
    Each member of such a series is referred to as a “homologous” of its immediate 
    neighbours. For example, the following sequence of straight chain of alcohols forms 

    a homologous series.

                    

           Characteristics of a homologous series

             

             Checking Up 1.3

                 

                 1.4. General rules of nomenclature of organic compounds 

                          according to IUPAC

                          Activity 1.4.

    By your own research, describe the rules that are applied to name the organic compounds. 

    Your answers can be given as a form of a report.

    The organic compounds are named by applying the rules set by the International 
    Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). The purpose of the IUPAC system of 
    nomenclature is to establish an international standard of naming compounds to 

    facilitate the common understanding.

    In general, an IUPAC name has three essential parts:

    • A prefix that indicates the type and the position of the substituents on the 
      main chain.
    • The base or root that indicates a major chain or ring of carbon atoms found 
    in the molecule’s structure. e.g. Meth- for one carbon atom, eth- for 2 carbon 
    atoms, prop- for 3 carbon atoms, hex- for five carbon atoms, etc.
    • The suffix designates the functional group.
    Example -ane for alkanes, -ene for alkenes, -ol for alcohols, -oic acid for carboxylic 
    acids and so on.
    Steps followed for naming organic compounds:
    1. Identify the parent hydrocarbon:

    It should have the maximum length, or the longest chain.

    Example

                  

         3. Identification of the side chains.

    Side chains are usually alkyl groups. An alkyl group is a group obtained by a 
    removal of one hydrogen atom from an alkane. The name of alkyl group is obtained 

    by replacing -ane of the corresponding alkane by –yl (Table 1.3).

                  

                      A side chain must be identified by the smallest possible numbers

                      

                        4. If the same substituent occurs two or more times, the prefix di, tri,tetra, ...is 
                            attached to substituent’s name. Its locants separate the prefix from the name of 

                           the substituent.

                                 

    5. Identify the remaining functional groups, if any, and name them. Different side 

        chains and functional groups will be listed in alphabetical order.

                                     

      The prefixes di, tri, tetra,...are not taken into consideration when grouping 

    alphabetically. But prefixes such iso-, neo- are taken into account.

       Example:  

                        

         Identify the position of the double/triple bond.

       Example:

    Number the chain (left to right) or right to left).
    The sum of the numbers which show the location of the substituents                                                                                                                is the possible smallest. 
                        
      
    The correct name will be the one which shows the substituents attached to the third 
    and fifth carbon, respectively and not to the fourth and the fifth carbon atom.

    Numbers are separated by commas Hyphens are added between numbers and 

    words. Successive words are merged in one word. 

                                                                 

        Checking up 1.4

    1. Complete the sentence; the systematic nomenclature of organic 
        compounds follows rules established by the ……………………………
         …..............................
    2. What are the main parts which made up the name of an organic 
         compound?

    3. Name each of the following compounds using the IUPAC system. 

                                    

      1.5. Isomerism in organic compounds

               Activity 1.5: 

             Consider the following set of compounds:

                     

     Analyze the structure of the compounds listed above and point out:

    1. Compounds with the same structural formula
    2. Compounds with the same molecular formula
    3. Are there any compounds having the same molecular formula but 
        different by their structures? Explain the main differences displayed by 
        them? Name the relationship between them?

    4. Explain the behavior of the identified in 3) 

    Isomerism is the existence of compounds that h ave the same molecular formula 
    but different arrangements of atoms; these compounds are called “isomers”.
    Isomers have different physical or/and chemical properties and the difference may 
    be great or small depending on the type of isomerism.

    There are two main classes of isomerism: Structural isomerism and stereoisomerism.

         1.5.1. Structural isomerism

            Activity 1.5.1

    1. Referring to the previous activity 1.5 above, what is the relationship 
        between compounds: a), o and p) in the list of the activity 1.5?
    2. Identify the relationship between compounds b) and g) in the activity 1.5?
    3. Relate the relationship between compounds: b) and J) in the activity 1.5?
    4. Identify the relationship between compounds c) and h) in the activity 1.5?
    5. Investigate if there is a relationship between compounds d) and k) in the 

        activity 1.5?

    Structural isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but with 

    different structural formula.

                      

      1. Position isomerism

    Position isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different 

    positions of the functional group or substituent(s).

                        

     2. Chain isomerism

    Chain isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula, belonging to the 

    same homologous series, with chain of carbon atoms of different length.

                                         

    3. Functional isomerism

    Functional (group) isomers are compounds which have the same molecular formula 

    but different functional groups. 

           

    1.5.2. Stereoisomerism

    Activity 1.5.2

    1. What is the relationship between compounds e) and l) in the activity 1.5. ? 
    2. Suggest examples of other organic compounds which have a similar 

         relationship.

    1. Geometrical isomerism

    Geometrical isomers or cis-trans isomers are compounds with the same molecular 
    formula, same arrangement of atoms but differ by spatial arrangements.
    This type of isomers is mainly found in alkenes due to the restricted rotation around 
    the carbon-carbon double bond. 

    Note: For more information, visit the website below. (https://www.youtube.com/
    watch? v=7tH8Xe5u8A0). 
    The necessary condition for an alkene to exhibit geometrical isomerism is that each 

    carbon doubly bonded has two different groups attached to it.

                            

     2. Optical isomerism

          Activity 1.5.3.

    1. Look at your two hands or the Figure 1.2 and discuss the relationship 
         between them?
    2. What are the necessary conditions for such pairs of organic compounds 
         to exhibit that relationship?

    3. What name is given to such compounds?

    Optical isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula and arrangements 
    of atoms but have different effect on the plane polarised light.
    • A compound that rotates the plane polarised light is said to have an optical 
       activity.
    • This type of isomerism occurs in compounds containing an asymmetric 
      (asymmetrical) carbon atom or chiral centre1
    • When a molecule has chiral centre, there are two non superimposable isomers 
    that are mirror images of each other. 

    • Such compounds are called enantiomers.

                

      In a mirror, the left hand is the image of the right hand and they are non 
    superimposable, i.e. they are enantiomers. An achiral object is the same as its mirror 

    image, they are nonsuperimposable.

                    

      Checking Up 1.5 

    1. What is meant by “isomers”
    2. Using examples, distinguish structural isomers and stereoisomers.
         Describe the sub-classes of each type of isomers. 
    3. Explain how the nature of the C=C bond gives rise to cis-trans isomerism.
    4. Identify which of the isomers of hexane exhibit geometrical isomerism. 
    5. Which of the following compounds can exist as optical isomers? Justify 

         your answer.

                               

    6. Give examples of items which are enantiomers.

    1.6. End unit assessment

    1. a). An atom or group of atoms which determines the characteristic properties 
               of an organic compound is…………………………………………………..
       b). A set of compounds that have the same functional group is referred 
             as ……………… 
       c). An organic compound that rotates the plane polarized light is said to 
            be………………. 
    2. Chain isomers belong to the same class. True/False
    3. Organic compounds belonging to the same class have similar physical 
         properties. True/False

    4. What is the name of the following compound?

                                                 

         

    A). 1,1-butyl-2- mthylpropane

    B). 2,2,4-trimetylpentane

    C). 2,2,4-methylpentane

    D). 2,4,4-trimethylpentane

    E). none of the previous answer

    5. The compound that follows belongs to which class of organic compounds?

                                    

     A). alcohols

    B). alkenes

    C). alkynes

    D). aromatic

     6. The compound that follows belongs to which class of 

          compounds?                                   

    A). ethers 

    B). aldehydes

    C). ketones

    D). alcohols

    7. Write the structural formula of: 

    a. 4-ethyl-3-methylheptane

    b. 3-ethyl hexane

    c. 3,3,5-trimethyloctane

    d. 4-ethyl-2,2-dimethylnonane

    8. Consider the following compound.

                  

    a. Determine the percentage composition of each element present 
         in the compound.
    b. Determine the empirical formula of the above molecule
    c. From the results from a) calculate the molecular formula of the 
        compound
    d. Write all possible structural formulae of isomers of the compound.
    e. Name the isomers in d) according to the IUPAC system.
    f. (i) From the results in d) classify the isomers as chain, position, 
             functional and optical isomers. 
        (ii) From the results in d) show the compound that can exhibit 

               optical isomerism. 

  • UNIT 2: ALKANE

         Key unit competency
    Relate the physical and chemical properties of the alkanes to the preparation 
    methods, uses and isomerism.
    Learning objectives
    • Name straight chain alkanes up to carbon-20
    • Define homologous series
    • Use IUPAC system to name straight and branched alkanes
    • Describe the preparation methods of the alkanes
    • Prepare and collect methane gas
    • Respect of procedure in experiment to carry out preparation of methane or 
       propane
    • Describe and explain the trend in physical properties of homologous series of 
       alkanes
    • Be aware of the dangers associated with combustion reactions of the alkanes
    • Write reaction for free radical mechanism for a photochemical reaction
    • State the chemical properties of the alkanes
    • Develop practical skills,interpret results make appropriate deductions.
    • Appreciate the importance of the alkanes in daily life
    • Appreciate the dangers caused by the alkanes to the environment as major 
       sources of air contaminants
    • State the uses of the alkanes
        Introductory activity 
         Analyze the picture below and answer to the proposed questions
                     
    a. Explain the process observed in the above picture
    b. What is the source of the gas produced as shown by the picture? 
    c. Analyse the environmental problems caused by gas observed in the 
        picture and suggest different ways to solve it.
    Alkanes are the simplest class of organic compounds. They are made of carbon and 
    hydrogen atoms only and contain two types of bonds, carbon-hydrogen (C-H) and 
    carbon-carbon (C-C) single covalent bonds. They do not have functional groups.
    Alkanes form a homologous series with the general formula  where n is the 
    number of carbon atoms in the molecule. The first member of the family has the 
    molecular formula   and is commonly known as methane and the second 
    member with molecular formula is   is called ethane.


    These compounds are also known as saturated hydrocarbons. This name is more 
    descriptive than the term “alkane’’ because both their composition (carbon and 
    hydrogen) and the fact that the four single covalent bonds of each carbon in their 
    molecules are fully satisfied or ‘’saturated’’.

    The name alkane is the generic name for this class of compounds in the IUPAC 
    system of nomenclature. These hydrocarbons are relatively unreactive under 
    ordinary laboratory conditions, but they can be forced to undergo reactions by 
    drastic treatment. It is for this reason that they were named paraffins (Latin parum 

    affinis = little activity).

    2.1. Nomenclature of alkanes

       Activity 2.1

    4. Discuss IUPAC rules for naming straight and branched alkanes.

    5. Draw the structure of the following compounds:

    a. 3-ethyl-4-propyloctane

    b. 4-ethyl-2-methylhexane

    c. 2,2-dimethylpentane

    IUPAC Rules for the nomenclature of alkanes

    a. Find and name the longest continuous carbon chain.
    b. Identify and name groups attached to this chain.
    c. Number the chain consecutively, starting at the end nearest a substituent 
        group. 
    d. Designate the location of each substituent group by an appropriate 
        number and name.
    e. Assemble the name, listing groups in alphabetical order. The saturated 
        hydrocarbon form homologous series (series in which members have similar 
       chemical properties and each differs from the preceding by a methylene 
        group  

    The first four members are known by their common names, from C5
     and above the Roman prefixes indicating the number of carbon atoms is written 
    followed by the ending “ane” of the alkanes.

    Note: Alkyl groups are obtained when one hydrogen atom is removed from alkanes; 
    therefore their names are deduced from the corresponding alkanes by replacing 

    “ane” ending with “yl” desinence (Table 2.1).

                Table 2.1. Naming straight chain alkanes

                   

                

     Note: n is the number of carbon atoms 
    Prefixes di, tri, tetra, sec, tert, are not considered when alphabetizing.
    f. In case of chains of the same length, the priority is given for part where 

        many branched of alkyl groups appear.

                     

    g. For cyclanes or cycloalkanes, the prefix “cyclo” is recommended, followed 
        by the name of the alkanes of the same carbon number.

        But in case of ramified cyclanes, the priority is for the ring.

                 

    The organic compounds comprise aliphatic compounds that can be acyclic or 

      cyclic named respectively as alkanes and cyclanes. 

                              

    Note: If there are more than one substituent, the numbering is done so that the 
                sum of the numbers used to locate the locants is minimum. This is the lowest sum 

                 rule.  

                       

               The longest chain has 6 carbons, it is a hexane chain. The sum of locants

                                  

     Since the sum of the locants for R-L numbering is minimum, then it is preferred.

     h. The name of alkane is given by the numbers of the locants (2,3,5-) followed 
    by the prefixed substituent (trimethyl), followed by the name of the long chain 

    (hexane): 2,3,5-trimethylhexane.

    Checking up 2.1

    1. What are alkanes? Why are they called saturated hydrocarbons?

    2. Name each of the following alkanes according to the IUPAC system.

                              

    2.2. Isomerism

    Activity 2.2.

    Identify and write down all the structural formulas that fit the molecular 

    formula       and classify them into the position and chain isomers.

    Alkanes show structural isomerism. The easiest way to find isomers is to draw the 
    longest chain of carbon atoms first and then reduce it by one carbon first until 

    repetition begins to occur.

                              

    -Putting the methyl group on position 1 or 5 gives you the same straight chain 

    isomer.

    Checking up 2.2

    Write the structural formulae of all isomers which fit the molecular formula 

    and name each of them according to the IUPAC system.

    2.3 Occurrence of Alkanes

    Activity 2.3:

    Some organic compounds are found in living beings whereas others are 
    synthesised by humans. Under which category do alkanes fall? Justify your 

    opinion.

    1. The alkanes exist in nature in form of natural gases and petroleum. Natural 
    gas and petroleum existence are the results of decomposition of died bodies 
    after many years ago. 

    2. The most natural gas is found in lake Kivu as methane gas but in form of 
    traces like ethane, propane and butane.

    3. Petroleum is one of the largest source of energy in the work. It is formed by 
    decomposition by bacteria for millions of years died marine living things 
    and as the last product is petroleum and natural gases which are separated 
    in fractional distillation of their crude oil and the results are obtained 

    according to their boiling point.

               

                                                    Figure 2.1. Fractional distillation of petroleum

    Source:www.bbc.uk/schools/gcse/fractionaldistillationofcrudeoil ;
    The fractional distillation and the different fractions are summarized in the following 

    table and in the Table 2.2. 

                                Table 2.2. Fractions of crude petroleum   

                           

       Checking up 2.3: 

    What are the main sources of alkanes?

         2.4. Preparation of alkanes

           Activity 2.4

    Laboratory preparation of methane gas
    Requirements:
    Stand and accessories
    Delivery tube
    NaOH(s)
    Sodium acetate(s)
    Calcium oxide(s)
    Procedure: 

    Set up the apparatus as shown on the diagram below

                      

                      Figure 2.2 Laboratory preparation of methane

                     Source: https.www. zigya.com/study/book

    Prepare a mixture of the reagents in ratio 1:1. Weigh about 3 grams of sodium 
    acetate and the same quantity as soda lime. Mix them thoroughly in a beaker.

    Place about 4 grams of the mixture into a boiling tube.

    Seal the boiling tube with a stopper with a gas-delivery tube. The gas-delivery 
    tube should look upwards.

    Fix the boiling tube on a stand.

    Heat the test-tube gently with the cold part of the flame. To avoid local 
    overheating keep the flame in motion.

    After a while the gas starts liberating.

    Prepare an empty test-tube. Collect some gas keeping this test-tube on top of 
    the gas delivery tube.

    Methane is a flammable gas. To set it on fire turn the covering test tube and 
    hold a burning match to the end of the gas delivery tube.

    The gas burns with a blue (red) fire.
    Methane can be prepared by the reaction between sodium acetate and sodium 
    hydrox

    ide solid according to the equation:

    It is collected by the downward displacement of water.

    Other gaseous alkanes can be prepared in the same way according to the general 

    equation.

    Note: The reaction is practically used to reduce by one carbon the length of carbon 
                  chain. It is referred as decarboxylation of sodium carboxylates. 
                 Other reactions used for the preparation of alkanes are the following:
    1. Addition reaction of hydrogen to alkenes and alkynes in the presence of 
             catalyst like Nickel, Palladium or platinum produces alkanes: this reaction 
              is called hydrogenation reaction of alkenes and alkynes; it is also called a 

              reduction reaction of alkenes and alkynes.

                

             

                N.B: In organic chemistry, reduction reaction is the reaction that results in 

                          increasing of hydrogen content in the new product.

                               

          [Hydrogen content in the product   is higher than the hydrogen content                                                                                          in the reactant

    Note: Reduction with Platinum and Palladium as catalyst occurs at room 

    temperature, while using Nickel requires a temperature of about 

    2. From halogenoalkanes or Alkyl halides

    On reduction of alkyl halides with Zn and concentrated hydrochloric acid, alkyl 

    halides are converted to alkanes. 

                   

         Checking up 2.4 

        Describe the main reactions used in the preparation of alkanes.

             

            

                b) Alkyl halides when heated with sodium metal in ether solution give higher 

                         alkanes (alkanes with more carbon atoms) (Wurtz reaction).

               

              Note: This reaction is practically useful in organic synthesis to increase the length of 
                           carbon chain. 
               c) When Alkyl halides are treated with Zn-Cu couple, in the presence of ethanol, 
                   alkanes are formed. 
           Note: Zn-Cu couple is obtained by adding Zinc granules in aqueous copper (II) 

                         sulphate solution where copper is deposited on the Zn pieces.

                      

                    3. From carbonyl compounds 

              Reduction of carbonyl compounds, with amalgamated Zinc (alloy made of zinc 

             and mercury) and HCl. This is the Clemmensen reduction). 

                 

      Note: Under special conditions, reduction also is realized by use of H2 and Raney 
                  Nickel or using hydrazine (NH2NH2) and KOH.This is calledWolf Kushner reduction 

               2.5. Physical properties of alkanes

       Activity: 2.5
    1. Put 5 ml of hexane in a test tube. Add 5ml of water and shake.
    2. Record your observations
    3. Repeat the above procedure using,
    4. (i) cyclohexane
    5. (ii) heptane 
    6. Repeat the steps 1-3 using carbon tetrachloride instead of water.
    7. Record your observations.
    8. Search about the melting and boiling point values of the alkanes used in 

         the experiments above and record your findings.

        Melting and boiling points

    The values of melting, boiling points, density and physical state of some alkanes 

    are summarized in the table below.

           Table 2.3 Physical properties of alkanes

               

          The above Table shows that the boiling and melting points of homologue alkanes 

           increase with the number of carbon i.e. molecular mass.

     Explanation: 

    The boiling and melting points depend on the magnitude of the Van Der Waal’s 
    forces that exist between the molecules. These forces increase in magnitude with 
    molecular mass. 

    Note: Branched chain isomers have lower boiling and melting points than their 
    straight chain isomers, because straight chain isomers are closely packed than the 

    branched chain isomers.   

                     

    Boiling points decrease with increase in branching because increased branching 
    gives the molecule a more nearly spherical shape and this reduces the extent of 
    contact between neighboring molecules, in other words the branched isomers are 
    less packed than straight chain isomers, and hence the attractive force between 

    the molecules are reduced hence decrease in the boiling points.

    Alkanes are not soluble in water, because of their low polarity and also because 
    of their inability to form hydrogen bonds. They are, however soluble in non polar 
    solvents, like   benzene, and are miscible with one another. 

    Checking up 2.5
    Using data in the Table 2.3, plot a graph of boiling and melting points against 
    the number of carbon atoms, explain the shapes of the graphs drawn.

    2.6. Chemical properties of alkanes

    Activity 2.6.1

    Experiment to investigate the reactivity of alkanes
    1. Put 5ml of hexane in a test tube. 
    2. Add drop wise 5ml of potassium hydroxide and shake 
    3. Repeat steps 1-2 using bromine water instead of potassium hydroxide
    4. Repeat steps 1-3 using octane. 

    5. Record all your observations in the table below.

            

          For a positive test put “yes” and “no” for a negative result.

         6.What do you deduce from your observations?

         Generally, alkanes are quite inert towards common reagents because:

    • The C-C bond and C-H bonds are strong and do not break easily.
    • Carbon and hydrogen have nearly the same electronegativity valuehence 
    • C-H bond only slightly polarized; generally C-H bond is considered as covalent.
    • They have unshared electrons to offer.

      They, however, undergo the following reactions.

       1. Reaction with oxygen

    Alkanes react with oxygen to produce carbondioxide and water. However, if oxygen 

    is insufficient carbonmonoxide gas and water are formed.

             

      Carbon dioxide  produced from the burning of alkanes or fossil fuels for 
    heating, transport and electricity generation is the major atmospheric pollutant that 
    increases the green house potential of the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the major 
    Green House Effect (GHE) gas.

    Burning wood and forests produce also carbon dioxide and lead to the increase of 
    that gas in the atmosphere. Methane as another GHE gas is produced by human 

    activities, agriculture (Rice), and cattle-rearing.

           Activity 2.6.2

    Carry out research and discuss different ways of avoiding or reducing the 

    production of GHE gases such as carbon dioxide.

    There are many natural ways of reducing atmosphere carbon dioxide:
    i. Water in seas dissolves millions of tonnes of gas (but less now than it did in 
       the past, since the average ocean temperature has increased by 
       in the last 100 years, and gases are less soluble in hot than in cold water).
    ii. Plankton can fix the dissolved carbon dioxide into their body mass by 
         photosynthesis
    iii. Trees fix more atmospheric carbon dioxide than do grass and other 

           vegetation through photosynthesis according to the equation below.

    iv. 

    There are other ways than natural ways of reducing GHE gases and among them 
    there are the use of technologies that reduce the green house gas emissions, the 

    recycling of the GHE. 

    Notice: (i)reacts as  but slowly while iodine hardly reacts.
    Notice: (i) reacts as but slowly while iodine hardly reacts , Fluorine, the most 
                           electronegative element of the periodic table reacts with alkanes to give 

                           coke, i.e. a decomposition reaction:

                              

        (ii) Due to radical formation involved, the main product of reaction is the one 
               from the most stable radical, starting with tertiary, secondary, primary 

               and methyl in decreasing order of stability.      

         A tertiary free radical is better stabilised by the electron donating methyl groups 
         than the secondary, primary and methyl ones where the carbon atom is attached to 

          more hydrogen atoms

              

       3. Dehydrogenation of alkanes gives alkenes under heat and a catalyst like 

             

    4. Cracking 
    On heating or in the presence of a catalyst, large molecules of alkanes are decomposed 
    into smaller alkanes and alkenes. If the cracking is performed on heating, it is referred 

    as themocracking.

    If the cracking is performed using a catalyst; it is referred as catalytic cracking and 

    many products result from one reactant as shown below.

                       

       Checking up 2.6 

    1. Using a series of chemical equations, show how butane can be prepared 
         from bromoethane 
    2. Kerosene   is an alkane obtained from fractional distillation of 
        crude petroleum. Write an equation to show that kerosene can be used 

        as a source of energy.

               2.7. Uses of alkanes 

    2. Reaction with halogens (halogenations)

             

            Example: Reaction of methane with bromine

                                  

    Mechanism of the reaction: 
    A mechanism of a reaction is a description of the course of the reaction which shows 

    steps of the reaction and the chemical species involved in each step.

    The mechanism for the reaction between methane and bromine is the following. 

    i. Phase 1: Initiation (radical formation: formation of Br atom)

             

     ii. Phase 3: Termination steps (Radicals combination and end of the 

                              formation of radicals).

                                                    

              Hence, the generalized reaction

                        

           Activity 2.7.

     In Rwanda, gas methane has been discovered in Lake kivu and the government 
    is under its exploitation. 

    1. Outline all possible uses of methane gas

    2. Discuss the economic impact of the gas to the livelyhood of Rwandans.

                               

                               Picture 2.1: Kivu watt power station

    3. With the help of the pictures below, deduce the uses of alkanes

           

    1. Methane

         Methane finds many uses:

    • It is used as a fuel at homes, ovens, water heaters, kilns and automobiles 
    as it combusts with oxygen to produce heat. 
    • Highly refined liquid methane is used as rocket fuel.
    • Methane is used as fuel for electricity generation.
    • It is used as a vehicle fuel in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
    • Methane can be used as raw material in the production of urea, a 

       fertilizer.

    In general, methane is more environmental friendly than gasoline/petrol and diesel.

      2. Butane

    • Butane is a key ingredient of synthetic rubber.
    • It is used as fuel in cigarette lighters.
    • When blended with propane and other hydrocarbons, it may be referred 
       to commercially as LPG, for liquefied petroleum gas.
    • Butane gas cylinders are used in cooking.

    • Also used in aerosol spray cans.

    3. Propane

    • Propane is used as a propellant for aerosol sprays such as shaving 
      creams and air fresheners.Used as fuel for home heat and back up 
      electrical generation in sparsely populated areas that do not have 
      natural gas pipelines. 
    • Propane is commonly used in movies for explosions 

      4. Ethane 
      • Ethane is used in the preparation of ethene and certain heavier 
        hydrocarbons.
    • Ethane can be used as a refrigerant in cryogenic refrigeration systems.

      5. Pentane  
     • Pentane is used in the production of polystyrene foams and other foams.
    • Used in laboratories as solvents.
    • It is also an active ingredients of pesticides.
    • Used as solvent in liquid chromatography

    6. Hexane   
    • It is used in the formulation of glues for shoes, leather products, and 
       roofing.
    • It is also used to extract cooking oils such as canola oil or soy oil from 
      seeds.
    • Hexane is used in extraction of pyrethrine from pyrethrum; e.g. Horizon 
      SOPYRWA (a pyrethrum factory in Musanze District).
    • Also for cleansing and degreasing a variety of items, and in textile 

       manufacturing.

    7. Heptane

    • Heptane is used as solvent in paints and coatings.
     • Pure n-heptane is used for research, development and pharmaceutical
        manufacturing.

    • Also as a minor component of gasoline.

    • It is used in laboratories as a non-polar solvent.

    2.8. End Unit Assessment

    1. Give the general formula of alkanes

    2. Answer by True or False

       a. 2,2-dimethylbutane is an isomer of hexane
       b. Boiling point of alkanes increases with increasing the length of the 
           chain. Explain why?

      c. Alkanes are polar molecules; justify your answer

    3. Draw the structures of the following formulas:

       a. 2, 3, 5-trimethyl-4-propylheptane
      b. 2, 2-dimethylpropane
      c. 2-methyl pentane

      d. 4-ethyl-2, 3-dimethyloctane

    4. Explain the different steps of the chlorination reaction of methane

    5. An alkane with molecular mass of 72 forms only one monochlorinated 

        product. Suggest the structure of the alkane.

    6. a) What do you understand by the term hydrocarbon?

        b) What is the relationship between the number of carbon atoms in a 

             hydrocarbon and its boiling point?

       c) The hydrocarbon C5H12 burns to form carbon dioxide and water. 

             Write the balanced equation for the reaction.

      d) Name the environmental problem that is caused by the formation of 

           carbon dioxide during the combustion of hydrocarbon.

    7. Consider the alkane with the formula CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3
    a. Determine the percentage composition of carbon and hydrogen in 
         the compound,
    b. Determine the empirical formula of the above compound,
    c. From the results in a) calculate the molecular formula of the 
         compound,
    d. Write down the balanced chemical equation of combustion of the 
        compound,
     e. Name the environmental problem that is caused by the performance of 
          the reaction in d) and suggest different ways to solve that environmental 
          problem.
    8. Show how each of the following conversions can be accomplished with a 

         good yield

                  

    9. a. Referring to methane as an example of alkanes, discuss the importance of 
              alkanes in our every day life. 
        b. Gaz methane is extracted in Lake Kivu in Rwanda. Explain its perspectives 

            in Rwandan economy?

  • UNIT 3: ALKENES AND ALKYNES

         Key unit competency

    Relate the physical and chemical properties of alkenes and alkynes                                                                                                                      to their reactivity and uses.
     
     
     Learning objectives
    • Explain the reactivity of alkenes in comparison to alkanes
    • Explain the existence of geometrical isomerism in alkenes
    • Describe the industrial process of preparing alkenes and alkynes
    • Apply IUPAC rules to name alkenes and alkynes
    • Carry out an experiment to prepare and test ethene gas 
    • Outline the mechanisms for electrophilic addition reactions for alkenes and 
       alkynes
    • Write the structural formulae of straight chain alkenes and alkynes
    • Apply Markovnikov’s rule to predict the product of hydrohalogenation of 
      alkenes
    • Classify alkynes as terminal and non-terminal alkynes using their different 
      structures
    • Appreciate the combustion reaction as source of fuels.
    • Appreciate the uses and dangers of addition polymers (polythene used for 

       polythene bags, polypropene for plastic bottles etc.)

    Introductory Activity 

    Observe the following picture and answer the questions that follow.

                  

    1. What is the collective name of the substances used to manufacture the 
        items showed in the above picture?
    2. a). What are the raw materials used in the manufacture of the 
               substances identified in 1)?
        b). These raw materials may be obtained from different sources. Discuss 
               this statement.

        c). Do you expect these raw materials be soluble or not in water? Justify 
             your answer.

    3. Even though the items which appear in the picture above are interesting, 

         they also present some disadvantages. Discuss this statement.

      3.1. Definition, structure and nomenclature of alkenes

            Activity 3.1.1

    1. Describe the formation of a carbon-carbon double bond. What is the 
        hybridisation state of a carbon doubly bonded? 

    2. What is the shape of the molecule around the double bond? Explain.

    Alkenes are a homologous series of hydrocarbons which contain a carbon-carbon 
    double bond. Since their skeleton can add more hydrogen atoms, they are referred 

    as unsaturated hydrocarbons.

    The general formula of alkenes is 

    Example: Ethene

    Alkenes are abundant in the nature and play important roles in biology. Ethene, 
    for example, is a plant hormone, a compound that controls the plant’s growth and 
    other changes in its tissues.

    Ethene affects seed germination, flower maturation, and fruit ripening. 

    They are described as unsaturated hydrocarbons because they can undergo 

    addition reactions.

    The double bond in alkenes is made of one sigma bond and one pi bond. This gives 
    rise to the resistance of rotation around the double bond.
    The hybridization state 
    in alkenes is 
    and the structure around each carbon doubly bonded is trigonal 
    planar with a bond angle value of 

    Activity 3.1.2

    Refer to the IUPAC system used in the nomenclature of alkanes, name the 

    following compounds.

                                 

    IUPAC names of alkenes are based on the longest continuous chain of carbon atoms 
    that contains the double bond.

    The name given to the chain is obtained from the name of the corresponding alkane 
    by changing the suffix from –ane to –ene.

    If the double bond is equidistant from each end, number the first substituent that 
    has the lowest number. If there is more than one double bond in an alkene, all of 
    the bonds should be numbered in the name of the molecule, even terminal double 
    bonds. The numbers should go from lowest to highest, and be separated from one 
    another by a comma.

    The chain is always numbered from the end that gives the smallest number for the 
    location of the double bond.

    In naming cycloalkenes, the carbon atoms of the double bond are numbered 1 and 2 
    in the direction that gives the smallest numbers for the location of the substituents.
    If a compound contains two or more double bonds, its location is identified by a 
    prefix number. The ending is modified to show the number of double bonds:

    • a diene for two double bonds, 
    • a triene for two three bonds 

    • a tetraene for four double bonds

                            

    Checking up 3.1

    1. Write the structural formula of:
        a. 4-ethylhept-3-ene
        b. 5-isopropyl-2,6-dimethylundec-3-ene
        c. 3-ethyl-2,4,5-trimethyl oct-2-ene
        d. 3-ethyl-2-methylcyclohexene
        e. Buta-1,2-adiene

    2. Name each of the following compounds according to the IUPAC system.

                  

                   

    3.2. Isomerism in alkenes

             Activity 3.2

    1. What is meant by isomers and what are the types of isomers?

    2. Which types of isomerism can be exhibited by alkenes? Give your reasons 

    Alkenes exhibit two types of isomerism: structural isomerisms and stereoisomerism.

    1. Structural isomerism

    Alkenes exhibit position isomerism, chain isomerism and functional isomerism.
    In position isomerism, the position of the double bond changes but the length of 

    the chain remains the same.

    Example:

    Alkenes and cycloalkanes have the same molecular formula because they both have 
    two fewer hydrogen atoms than alkanes. That is why, they have the same molecular 
    formula. However, they belong to different homologous series. Therefore, they are 
    functional group isomers. This isomerism that relates open chain compounds to 

    ring chain compounds is referred to as ring isomerism. 

            

      2. Stereoisomerism 

    Due to the resistance of rotation around the double bond, alkenes give rise to cistrans 

    or geometrical isomerism. Sometimes known as E- and Z- Isomers

              

    Checking up 3.2

    1. State the necessary condition for the existence of cis-trans isomerism in 
        alkenes?

    2. Which of the following alkenes can exhibit a cis-trans isomerism?

                    

    3.3. Preparation of alkenes

          Activity 3.3

    Different methods can be used to prepare alkenes. Discuss the possible 
    reactions which may be involved in the preparation of alkenes and propose the 

    mechanisms, where it is possible.

    Different methods are used for the preparation of alkenes. Most of them are 

    elimination reactions.

    1. Dehydration of alcohols

    An alkene may be obtained by dehydration of an alcohol. The reaction involves 
    the loss of H and OH from adjacent carbons of an alcohol to form an alkene. The 
    dehydration is carried out by heating an alcohol with concentrated sulphuric acid 
    or 85% phosphoric acid.

                      

    Mechanism of the reaction

    The dehydration of alcohols giving alkenes occurs in three steps.

    If two or more alkenes may be obtained, the one having more substituents on the 
    double bond generally predominates. This is the Zaitsev’s rule.

                       

    This is due to the stability of the intermediate carbocation. The carbocation 
    produced in step 2 may undergo a transposition (rearrangement) of a hydride ion 
    or a methyl group giving a more stable carbocation and therefore a more stable 
    alkene.

        

        Mechanism

       

    From the secondary carbocation, two products can be obtained and the reaction 

    follows the Zaitsev’s rule.

                     

                     

    From the tertiary carbocation, two products can be obtained and the reaction 
    follows the Zaitsev’s rule.

    The dehydration of alcohols leading to alkenes may also be effected by heating 

    alcohols in the presence of alumina.

                       


    2. Dehydrohalogenation of halogenoalkanes
    Halogenoalkanes react with hydroxide ions in ethanolic solution to yield alkenes. 

    The reaction follows the Zaitsev’s rule.

          Examples

       

    3. Dehalogenation of dihalogenoalkanes

    When a compound containing two halogen atoms on the adjacent carbon 

    atoms is treated with magnesium or zinc it transforms to an alkene.

        Examples:

             

     When the two halogen atoms are attached to non-adjacent carbon atoms, a cyclic 

    alkane is formed. 

               

    Checking Up 3.3

    1. Refer to the IUPAC system, name the alkenes formed when the following 
        alcohols are dehydrated in the presence of sulphuric acid.

    a. Pentan-2-ol
    b. 2-methylpropan-1-ol
    c. 2,3-dimethylbutan-2-ol
    d. 2-methylcyclohexanol
    e. 2-methylbutan-2-ol
    2. What are the products of the dehydrohalogenation of the following 
        compounds? Show the major product.

    f. 1-bromo-2-methylpropane
    a. 2-bromo-3-methylpentane
    b. 2-bromo-2,3-dimethylbutane

    c. 3-chloro-3-ethylpentane

    3. Write the formula of the compounds formed when each of the following 

    dihalogenoalkanes react with magnesium.

               

    3.4. Laboratory preparation and chemical test for ethene

              Activity 3.4 

    Preparation of ethene Set up the apparatus as shown in the Figure below (Figure 
    3.1) and follow the instructions to perform the experiment on the preparation of 

            ethene.

                               

                             Figure 3.1: Laboratory preparation of ethene 

    Requirements: 

    Chemicals: 

    • Ethanol, aluminium oxide, lime water, mineral wool, bromine water, acidified 
      potassium permanganate solution (very dilute), water. 

     Additional apparatus: 
    • Boiling tube
    • Rubber stopper with hole 
    • Delivery tube 
    • Trough 
    • Test- tube rack 
    • 5 test tubes 
    • 5 rubber stoppers for test tubes
    • Spatula Procedure and setting
    • Bunsen burner
    • Glass rod 
    • Splint 

    • Matches

    1. Preparation of ethene: 

    - Pour some ethanol into the boiling tube to a 3 cm depth 
    - Add some glass wool to soak up the ethanol, using a glass rod to push 
       the wool down the tube.

    - Clamp the boiling tube in a horizontal position using a retort stand.
    - Put a small amount of aluminium oxide about half way along the 
       boiling tube. - Complete the set up of the apparatus as shown in the 
       diagram above. 

    - Light the Bunsen burner, adjust it to a blue flame and heat the 
       aluminium oxide. (Make sure the test tube is filled with water when 
       you start to collect the gas produced.)

    - As the aluminium oxide gets hot the heat reaches the ethanol at the 
       end of the tube. The ethanol then changes to vapour, passes over the 
       hot aluminium oxide and is dehydrated to produce ethene gas. 

    - Collect 5 test tubes of the gas and put a stopper on each tube when 
        it is filled. - When the test tubes have all been filled, loosen the retort 
        stand and raise the apparatus so that the delivery tube no longer dips 
        into the water. This avoids suck back of water as the tube begins to 
        cool which could cause the boiling tube to crack. Turn off the Bunsen 
        burner. 

    2. Testing the properties of ethene 
         Addition of bromine: 
    - Taking great care, add about 1ml of the test tube of bromine water to 
       one of the test tubes of ethene.
    - Replace the stopper and shake the tube a few times.
    - Record your observations. 
    - Write down your conclusions
    - Addition of acidified potassium permanganate:
    - Add about 1ml of very dilute potassium permanganate solution to 
       one of the test tubes of ethene and shake the tube a few times.
    - Record your observations. 
    - Write down your conclusions

       Combustion:
    - Remove the stopper of one of the tubes filled with ethene and apply a 
       light to the mouth of the test tube using a lighted splint. 
    - Allow the gas to burn and when it has stopped burning add a small 
       amount of lime water to the test tube, stopper it and shake the tube 
       a few times. 

    - Write down your observations.

    Interpretation

    When ethanol is heated in the presence of aluminium oxide, a gas is produced. This 
    gas does not react with lime water. This means that the produced gas is not carbon 

    dioxide. The equation of the reaction is: 

                

    The gas decolourises bromine water. Bromine water is a test used to identify the 
    presence of a carbon-carbon double bond or triple bond. The bromine adds across 
    the double bond and a dibromoalkane is formed. The reaction between alkene and 

    bromine water is shown below:

                 

     If you shake an alkene with bromine water (or bubble a gaseous alkene through 
    bromine water), the solution becomes colourless. Alkenes decolourise bromine 
    water.

    The Figure 3.2 shows Bromine water added to ethene: before the reaction (left) 
    the color of bromine appears, and after the reaction (right) the colour of bromine 

    disappears.

                            

                          Picture 3.1: Test for unsaturation

    When ethene reacts with acidified potassium manganate (VII), the purple colour of 
    the permanganate solution turned to colourless or light pink indicating the presence 

    of the carbon – carbon double bond.The reaction is the following:

                       

    The gas burns with a smoky flame producing carbon dioxide and heat energy. The 

    carbon dioxide produced turns into milky lime water.

                      

    Checking Up 3.4

    1. Ethene is prepared by dehydration of ethanol in the presence of alumina, 
        explain other reactions that produce ethene. 
    2. Describe the chemical test used to identify the presence of a carbon-carbon 
         double bond in an organic compound. 
    3. Explain how ethene can be differentiated from carbon dioxide using a 

         chemical test?  

     3.5. Physical properties of alkenes

    Activity 3.5

    1. How does the physical state of alkenes change with molecular mass. 
    2. Put in a test tube 5ml of cyclohexene. Add 5ml of water and mix. Record 
        your observations. 
    3. Put in a test tube 5ml of cyclohexene. Add 5ml of tetrachloromethane 
        and mix. Record your observations.
    4. Cis-but-1-ene and trans-but-2-ene exhibit geometric isomerism. State 

        which one of them is less volatile and why? 

    • Alkenes which have less than 5 carbon atoms are gaseous at ordinary 
       temperature, the other are liquid up to 18 while others are solids as the number 
       of carbon atoms increases.
    • Boiling points and melting points of alkenes are less than those of alkanes but 
       also increase as the molecular weight increase.
    • Alkenes are insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents.
    • Cis-alkenes have a slightly higher boiling point than the trans-isomers because 

       the dipole moments in trans structures cancel each others----.

    Checking Up 3.5

    Which one of the following compounds has higher boiling point? Explain.
    a. Cis-butene and trans-butene 
    b. Ethene and propene

            3.6. Chemical properties
            3.6.1. Addition reactions 

            3.6.1.1. Electrophilic additions

     Activity 3.6.1

    1. Explain the following terms and give two examples for each.
         a). Addition reaction
         b). Lewis acid
    2. Distinguish other name given to a Lewis acid.
    3. Predict if Lewis acids can react with alkanes. 
    4. Justify if Lewis acids react with alkenes. 

    5. Differentiate the reactivity of alkenes and alkanes.

    Alkenes are far more reactive than alkanes due to the carbon-carbon double bond. 
    These compounds are unsaturated and they can easily undergo addition reactions 
    to yield saturated products.

    The double bond in alkenes is a region of high density of electrons. Therefore, this 
    region is readily attacked by electrophiles. An electrophile is an atom, a molecule or 

    an ion which is electron-deficient; i.e. it is a Lewis acid or an electron pair acceptor.

    Electrophilic addition reactions take place in two steps:

         i. Formation of a carbocation

                   

      1. Addition of hydrogen halides

    Hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, HI) react with alkenes to yield halogenoalkanes. The 
    reaction is carried out either with reagents in the gaseous state or in inert solvent 

    such as tetrachloromathane. 

                

    When hydrogen halides add to unsymmetrical alkenes, the reaction leads to the 
    formation of two products in two steps. The first step leads to the formation of 

    two different carbocations with the major product formed from the more stable 

      carbocation. This is the Markownikov’s rule. That is “The electrophilic addition of an 
    unsymmetric reagent to an unsymmetric double bond proceeds by involving the most 

    stable carbocation.

    The order of stability of the carbocations is:

                     

                      

    In the presence of peroxide, the reaction follows a free radical mechanism and it 

    does not follow the Markonikov’s rule.

                      

                      

    2. Addition of water

    The hydration of alkenes catalysed by an acid is an electrophilic addition. Ethene 
    can be transformed into ethanol. The first step consists of adding concentrated 
    sulphuric acid. The second step consists of the hydrolysis of the product of the 
    first step.

    In industry the reaction is carried out at approximately 300 °C in the prence of 

    phosphoric acid as a catalyst.

                      

    3. Addition of cold concentrated sulphuric acid
    When cold concentrated sulphuric acid reacts with alkene, an alkyl hydrogen 
    sulphate is obtained. If the starting alkene is unsymmetrical, two different alkyl 
    hydrogen sulphates are obtained. If the alkyl hydrogen sulphate is warmed in the 

    presence of water, an alcohol is obtained.

                    

       4. Addition of halogens

    The addition of halogens (halogenation) on alkenes yields vicinal 
    dihalogenoalkanes. The reaction takes place with pure reagents or by mixing 
    reagents in an inert organic solvent.

    When a chlorine or bromine molecule approaches an alkene, the pi electrons 

    cloud interact with the halogen molecule causing its polarisation.

        Example:

    Reaction of ethene with bromine in an inert organic solvent gives:

                          

    The reaction follows the mechanism below:

                       

    he reaction with bromine is a useful test for alkenes.
    The brown red colour of bromine 
    is discharged in alkenes.

    With bromine water, the reaction gives a mixture of organic products.

      Example:

    Bromine water containing sodium chloride gives a mixture of three organic products.

    Example:

    3.6.1.2. Hydrogenation

    In the presence of a catalyst (Pt, Ni, Pd), alkenes react with hydrogen to give alkanes.

               

    This reaction is very useful when transforming vegetable oils into fats such as 

    margarine by hydrogenation. The process is referred as hardening.

     Checking up 3.6.1

    1. Predict the products formed when alkenes (But-1-ene and 
         3-methylpent-2-ene react with each of the following reactants:
          i. HCl
         ii. Water in acidic medium
        iii. Cold sulphuric acid
        iv. hydrogen
    2. Outline the mechanism of the reaction between 2-methylpent-2-ene 

         with hydrogen bromide. 

       3.6.2. Oxidation reactions

         Activity 3.6.2

    1. Explain the terms oxidation, oxidising agent based on examples
    2. Explain the terms reduction, reducing agent and give examples
    3. The combustion of alkenes yields products, illustrate it by a reaction and 
        indicate the types of products generated.
    4. Explain what happens when alkenes react with oxidising agents.      
        Alkenes are readily oxidised due to the presence of the double bond.

    1. Reaction with oxygen

    i. Transformation to epoxides

        Ethene react with oxygen in the presence of silver as a catalyst to yield epoxyethane.

            

    Epoxyethane is a very reactive substance. It reacts with water to give 1,2-ethanediol 

    which is used in the making of polyesters, detergents, and so on.

           

     ii. Combustion

    Alkenes burn in oxygen to give carbon dioxide, water and energy

        Example:

        2. Reaction with ozone

    An alkene reacts with ozone to give an ozonide.
    The reaction is carried out at low temperature (below ) in non-aquous medium.
                         

    On hydrolysis, the ozonide splits into two carbonyl compounds. The reaction which 
    is an oxidative cleavage is referred to as ozonolysis.

    Since the by-product is hydrogen peroxide, the hydrolysis is carried out in the 

    presence of a reducing agent.

             


    The interest of the ozonolysis reaction is that it can help to identify the location of 
    the double bond in an alkene.

    3. Reaction with potassium permanganate
    Alkenes react with dilute potassium permanganate solution to give diols. The 
    reaction takes place in the cold.

    The colour change depends on the medium of the reaction.

                

    This reaction also is used to test for the presence a double bond.

    An alkane does not react with KMnO4 (left), but an alkene reacts with KMnO4 

    producing a dark brown precipitate of MnO2 (right) (Figure 3.3).

                                

                          Picture 3.2: Reaction of alkenes and KMnO

    4. Hydroformylation

    The hydroformylation is a process by which alkenes react with carbon monoxide 

    and hydrogen in the presence of rhodium catalyst to give aldehydes.

                        

    Checking up 3.6.2

    1. Write the equations of the reaction between 3-methylpent-2-ene with:
         a. Oxygen in the presence of silver catalyst.
         b. Cold dilute potassium permanganate solution
        c. Ozone
    2. Describe the purpose of the reaction between alkenes and ozone.
    3. Describe the observations when butane and but-2-ene react separately 

        with potassium manganate (VII) solution.

    3.6.3. Addition polymerisation

    Activity 3.6.3

    1. The students of a given class are asked to form separate couples of students. 
        In each couple, the students hold each other by their two hands. Now 
        each couple is asked to free one hand per student so that each student of 
        each couple can hold a hand of another student from a different couple. 
        What will be the result of such an arrangement compared to the first one?
    2. From this example, predict what will happen in an addition reaction of 

        many molecules of one or different alkenes?

    Alkenes undergo addition polymerisation reaction to form long chain polymers.i.e 
    a polymer is a large molecule containing a repeating unit derived from small unit 
    called monomers. A polymerisation reaction involves joining together a large 
    number of small molecules to form a large molecule.

    Many different addition polymers can be made from substituted ethene compounds.
    Each polymer has its physical properties and therefore many polymers have wide 
    range of uses.

    Mechanism for the polymerisation of ethene.

       1.Initiation

       It is a free radical initiation.

                     

    2. Propagation

                               

    3. Termination 

                             

    where the part between brackets indicates a unit of the formula of the polymer that 
    repeats itself in the formula; n indicates the number of the units in a formula of a 

    polymer and is a very large number.

    Summary of most alkene polymers obtained from alkenes as monomers and their 

    uses (Table 3.1)

                                          Table 3.1: Polymers of alkenes and their uses

              

    Checking Up 3.6.3

    1. Explain the terms 
         a. addition polymerisation
         b. monomer 
         c. polymer
    2. The use of some plastic bags is banned in our country. Analyse the 
    scientific and environmental reasons of this prohibition and suggest 

    alternative solutions.

    Project Work
    Although they have many uses, plastics have side effects and therefore some of 
    them are being replaced by more eco-friendly plastics.
     

    Design a project for the making of plastics using starch from plants. In your 
    project you will:

    1. Perform the extraction of starch
    2. Make plastics using starch you will have extracted
    3. Test the properties of your plastics

    4. Differentiate between bioplastics and biodegradable plastics.

    3.7. Structure, classification and nomenclature of alkynes

           Activity 3.7

    1. Explain the formation of a carbon-carbon triple bond.
    2. What is the hybridisation state of a carbon atom triply bonded and what 
    is the shape of the structure around it.

    3. Differentiate between the following compounds 

    4.

    A triple bond consists of one sigma bond and two pi bonds. Each carbon of the triple 
    bond uses two sp orbital to form sigma bonds with other atoms. The unhybridised 2p 
    orbitals which are perpendicular to the axes of the two sp orbitals overlap sideways 

    to form pi bonds.

    According to the VSEPR model, the molecular geometry in alkynes include bond 
    angle of 180o
     around each carbon triply bonded.Thus, the shape around the triple 

    bond is linear.

                              

    There are two types of alkynes: terminal alkynes and non-terminal (internal) alkynes
    A terminal alkyne has a triple bond at the end of the chain e.g.: :

    A non-terminal alkyne has a triple bond in the middle of the chain:

    Examples:

    Alkynes are named by identifying the longest continuous chain containing the triple 

    bond and changing the ending –ane from the corresponding alkane to –yne.

                                 

    Checking Up 3.7

    1. Name according to the IUPAC system, each of the following compounds.

                                 

    5. Write structural formula for:
    a. 2,5- dimethyl-3-hexyne
    b. 6-isopropyl-5-propyldec-3-yne

    c. 5-ethyl-4-methloct-1-yne

    3.8. Laboratory and industrial preparation of alkynes

    1. Preparation of ethyne

    Activity: 3.8

    Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram below

                   

                   Figure 3.3 Laboratory preparation of ethyne

       Procedure:
    • Place 2g of calcium carbide in a conical flask
    • Using the dropping funnel, add water drop by drop.
    • Collect the gas produced in the test tube. 
    • Remove the first tube and connect a second test tube.
    • To the first test tube add two drops of bromine water. Record your 
      observations  
    • To the second tube add two drops of potassium manganate (VII). Record your observations.
    Ethyne (acetylene) can be prepared from calcium carbide which is obtained by 

    reduction of calcium oxide by coke at high temperature.

                  

     A more quick industrial production consists of heating methane alone at high 

    temperature for 0.01-0.05second.    

            

    When bromine water is added to acetylene, the red colour of bromine is discharged. 
    The solution becomes colourless. The decolourisation of bromine water is a test
     for unsaturation in a compound.
    When potassium manganate (VII) is added to acetylene, its purple colour is 

    discharged.

    2. Alkylation of acetylene
    The hydrogen atom of ethyne as that of other terminal alkynes is slightly acidic and 
    therefore it can be removed by a strong base like NaNH2 or KNH2
    .The products of the reaction are acetylides. Acetylides react with halogenoalkanes
    to yield higher alkynes.
       
                             

    3. Dehydrohalogenation 

    The dehydrohalogenation of vicinal or geminal dihalogenoalkanes yields alkynes

      

              

    4. Dehalogenation

    The dehalogenation of a tetrahalogenoalkane yield an alkyne.  

                 

    Checking Up 3.8

    1. Using chemical equations, describe the preparation of ethyne(acetylene)
    2. By which reactions higher members of the alkynes family are prepared?
    3. Suggest a synthesis for each of the following compounds using 
          acetylene as the starting organic material.
    a. Propyne
    b. 2-butyne

    c. 3-hexyne

    3.9. Physical properties of alkynes

    Activity 3.9

    Alkynes have the general formula 
     They have two fewer hydrogen atoms 
    than alkenes, and four fewer H than alkanes. Do you expect alkynes to be more 
    or less volatile than alkenes? Explain by referring to the nature of the chemical 

    bonding and the structure of alkenes and alkynes.

    Alkynes are non-polar compounds with physical properties similar to those of 
    alkenes with the same number of carbon atoms. Their linear structure gives them 

    greater intermolecular forces than alkenes

             

    Alkynes are water insoluble but they dissolve in each other and in non-polar solvents.

    Checking up 3.9

    1. Which of 3,4,4-trimethylpent-1-yne and oct-3-yne has a high volatility? 
        Explain 

    2. Table salt (NaCl) is water soluble but hex-2-yne is not. Explain why.

    3.10. Chemical reactions of alkynes

      Activity 3.10

    Alkynes have a carbon-carbon triple bond. That is why they have a higher electron 
    density than alkenes. Do you expect alkynes to be more reactive than alkenes?

    Which types of reactions can be exhibited by alkynes?

     Addition reactions

    As unsaturated hydrocarbons, alkynes are very reactive. Because they are unsaturated 
    hydrocarbons, alkynes undergo addition reactions. Alkynes can add two moles of 
    reagents.

    Even though they have a higher electron density than alkenes, they are in general 
    less reactive because the triple bond is shorter and therefore the electron cloud is 
    less accessible.

    1. Addition of hydrogen halides
    Alkynes react with hydrogen halides to yield vicinal dihalogenoalkanes, the 

    reaction follows the Markownikov’s rule. The reaction takes place in four steps.

    Example:

                        

    2. Addition of water

    Alkynes react with water in the presence of sulphuric acid and mercury sulphate 
    at to    give carbonyl compounds.
                 
    Example:

    3. Hydrogenation

    The hydrogenation of alkynes in the presence of palladium catalyst gives alkanes

    The reaction requires two moles of hydrogen for a complete saturation.

    Example:

    In the presence of Lindlar catalyst, the alkynes are partially hydrogenated giving 

    alkenes

        

     A Lindlar catalyst is a heterogeneous catalyst that consists of palladium deposited 
    on calcium carbonate and poisoned with different lead derivatives such as lead 
    oxide or lead acetate. 

    Reaction with metals

    Terminal alkynes react with active metals to yield alkynides and hydrogen gas. 

    Internal alkynes do not react as they do not have an acidic hydrogen atom.

       

        4. Reaction with metal salts

    When a terminal alkyne is passed through a solution of ammoniacal silver nitrate, a 

    white precipitate of silver carbide is formed.

          

    When a terminal alkyne is passed through a solution of ammoniacal copper(I) 

    chloride, a red precipitate of copper(I)carbide is formed. 

        

    The reactions above are used to:
    • Differentiate between terminal and non-terminal alkynes.
    • Differentiate ethene and ethyne

      The reaction shows that hydrogen atoms of ethyne are slightly acidic, unlike those 

       of ethene.

    Checking up 3.10 

    1. Write the formula(s) and the name (s) of the products of the reaction of 
        pent-1-yne with:
         a. water 
        b. hydrogen chloride 
        c. sodium metal 
    2. Outline the mechanism of the reaction between but-2-yne with 
         hydrogen bromide.

       3.11. Uses of alkenes and alkynes
               Activity 3.11
             Look at the picture below and mention the importance of alkenes and alkynes.  
                      
      
         Figure 3.5: Some plastic materials (A& B), tomatoes which are ripening (C)
         and a person who is welding (D)

     
    • Alkenes are extremely important in the manufacture of plastics which have 
       many applications such as: packaging, wrapping, clothing, making clothes, 
       artificial flowers, pipes, cups, windows, ...
    • Ethene is a plant hormone involved in the ripening of fruits, seed 

       germination, bud opening;

                                    

          Picture 3.3: Ethene is a plant hormone which causes bananas to ripen. 

          image source m.yukie .mobi.

     • Ethene derivatives are also used in the making of polymers such as 
       polyvinylchloride (PVC), Teflon,...
    • Alkenes are used as raw materials in industry for the manufacture of 
       alcohols, aldehydes, ...
    • Alkynes are used in the preparation of many other compounds. For example 
       ethyne is used in the making of ethanal, ethanoic acid, vinyl chloride, 
       trichloroethane, ...
    • Ethyne (acetylene) is used as a fuel in welding and cutting metals.

    • Propyne is used as substitute for acetylene as fuel for welding.

    Checking up 3.11

    Alkenes, alkynes and their derivatives have many applications in our daily life. 

    Discuss this statement.

    3.12. End unit assessment

    I. Multiple choice questions. Choose the best answer in the following by 
        noting the corresponding letter.

    1. Which of the following is given off during ripening of fruits and 
       vegetables?

    b. Ethane
    c. Ethene
    d. Ethyne
    e. Methane

    2. Loss of hydrogen halide is called:
    a. Halogenation
    b. Dehydration
    c. Dehydrohalogenation
    d. Hydrogenation

    3. Alkenes can be oxidized using powerful oxidizing agent in acidified 
        medium.

    a. Potassium manganate (VII)
    b. Sodium manganate (VI)
    c. Calcium manganate (VI)
    d. All of them

    4. The molecular formula of-------- fit the general formula
     a. Alkanes
    b. Alkynes
    c. Alcohols
    d. Alkenes

    5. Example of addition reactions include all but one of the following. 
         Which is the odd one out?

    a. Combustion of propene.
    b. Reaction of with propene.
    c. Reaction of HBr with but-2-ene.
    d. Polymerization of ethene 

    6. Which statement is incorrect about reactions of propene?
    a. Reaction with  and gives 1-bromo propan-2-ol as the main 
        product.
    b. Polymerization of propene gives polypropene, of which the isotactic and 
       syndiotactic forms are commercially valuable.
    c. Reaction with in the presence of a radical initiator yields 
    2-bromopropane as the major product.
    d. No correct answer

    7. Which one of the following statements is incorrect?
    a. The electrophilic addition of HBr to but-2-ene involves a secondary 
        carbonium ion intermediate.
    b. In the presence of a radical initiator, HBr reacts with but-1-ene to give 
    1-bromobutane as the major product.
    c. In the presence of a radical initiator, HBr reacts with but-1-ene to give a 
       Markovnikov addition product.
    d. The major product of the electrophilic addition of HBr to hex-1-ene is 
         2-bromohexane.

    8. What type of reaction do alkynes undergo across triple bond?
    a. Elimination reaction
    b. Substitution reaction
    c. Addition reaction
    d. Halogenation
        96 Chemistry Senior Five Student Book

    9. Acetylene is also called: 
    a. Ethyne
    b. Ethene
    c. Ethane
    d. Methane

    10. What product(s) will be obtained from the acid-catalysed hydration of 
    pent-2-yne?

    a. pentanal
    b. pent-2-one and pentan-3-one
    c. pentan-2-one
    d. pentan-3-one

    II. Open questions

    11. Give all possible isomers of

    12. Explain the following observations
    a. When bromine in presence of dichloromethane is added to propene, 
       only one product is formed i.e. 1,2-dibromopropane.
    b. When bromine water  is added to propene, a mixture of 
        products namely 1,2-dibromopropane and bromopropan-2-ol are 
        obtained.
    c. When bromine in presence of carbon tetrachloride and sodium chloride 
    is added to propene, a mixture of products namely, 1,2-dibromopropane 

    and bromo-2-chloropropane are formed.

    13. Show how the following conversions may be accomplished

                     

    14. a. In an experiment it was found that 35g of pure alkene reacted 
              with 100g of bromine .

    i. Calculate the molecular mass of the alkene
    ii. Write the molecular formula of the alkene
    iii. Write the structural formulae and the systematic names of one of 
         any two alkenes in (ii)
    b. Using equations only show the mechanism for the reaction of one 

         of alkenes in (iii) with bromine.

    15. Three hydrocarbons D, E and F, all have the molecular formula C6H12. 

    D decolourises an aqueous solution of bromine and shows geometric 
    isomerism. E also decolourises an aqueous solution of bromine but does 
    not show geometric isomerism. F does not decolourise an aqueous solution 
    of bromine. Draw one possible structure each for D, E and F.

    16. Alkenes such as ethene and propene have been described as the building 
    blocks of the organic chemical industry. Discuss this statement, giving 
    examples. What particular features of the chemistry of alkenes make them 

    suitable for this role and why are alkanes less suitable.


  • UNIT 4: HALOGENOALKANES (ALKYL HALIDES)

             Key unit competency

    The learner should be able to relate the physical and chemical
    properties of halogenoalkanes to their reactivity and their uses

    Learning objectives
    • Define halogenoalkanes and homologous series.
    • Explain the reactivity of halogenoalkanes.
    • Explain the physical properties of halogenoalkanes.
    • Describe preparation methods for halogenoalkanes. 
    • Explain different mechanisms in halogenoalkanes.
    • Explain the uses and dangers associated with halogenoalkanes.
    • Draw displayed structural formulae of halogenoalkanes and give names using 
       IUPAC system.
    • Classify halogenoalkanes according to developed formula as primary, 
       secondary and tertiary.
    • Write reaction mechanisms of halogenoalkanes as SN1, SN2, E1 and E2.
    • Test for the presence of halogenoalkanes in a given sample organic compound.
    • Appreciate the uses and dangers of halogenoalkanes in everyday life.

    • Develop the awareness in protecting the environment.

    Introductory activity

    Look at the pictures below and answer the following questions.
    Record your 
    answers and discuss them.

    a. Observe carefully pictures 4.1 and 4.2 and suggest the similarity 
        between them.
    b. Observe carefully pictures 4.1 and 4.2 and suggest the difference 
        between them.
    Substances which are used in the pictures belong to the same homologous series. 
    They may be obtained from the reaction between alkanes and halogens.

    What homologous series do these substances belong to?

             


    4.1. Definition and nomenclature of halogenoalkane

          Activity 4.1

    1. Look at the following and answer the questions that follow.

                   

    Questions:

    i. Which structures do represent halogenoalkanes?
    ii. What are the similarities between the selected structures?

    iii. From your answers above deduce the general formula for alkanes.

          1. Definition

    Halogenoalkanes compounds are compounds in which the halogen atoms like 
    chlorine, bromine, iodine or fluorine are attached to a hydrocarbon chain. When 
    the halogen atom is attached to a hydrocarbon chain the compound is called a 

    halogenoalkane or haloalkane or an alkyl halide. 

    Halogenoalkanes contain halogen atom(s) attached to the  hybridised carbon 
    atom of an alkyl group. 

    2. Nomenclature of halogenoalkanes
    Halogenoalkanes are organic compounds that contain a halogen atom: F, Cl, Br, I. 
    They are named using the prefixes fluoro-, chloro-, bromo- and iodo-.

    Numbers are used if necessary to indicate the position of the halogen atom in the 

    molecule.

             

    If the molecule contains more than one halogen atom of the same kind, the prefixes 
    di-, tri-, tetra-, etc… are used. 

    Examples:

    Checking up 4.1

    1. Name these compounds
                     

    2. Write the structural formulae for the following compounds:
    a. 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane

    b. 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane

    4.2. Classification and isomerism

    Activity 4.2

    Consider the following compounds and based on the carbon atom attached to 

    the halogen atom, classify them.

                                  

    Do research to find an appropriate name for each class

    4.2.1. Classification of halogenoalkanes

      There are three types of halogenoalkanes:

         

    A primary halogenoalkane has a halogen atom attached to the ended carbon atom 
    of the chain. A secondary halogenoalkane has a halogen atom attached to a carbon 
    bonded to two other carbon atoms while a tertiary halogenoalkane has a halogen 

    atom attached to a carbon bonded to three other carbon atoms.

    4.2.2. Isomerism

    Halogenoalkanes exhibit both chain and position isomerism.

     Example: Molecular formula
    a. Chain isomerism: This arises due to arrangement of carbon atoms in chains of 

    different size.

                  

    b. Position isomerism: This arises due to the different positions
     taken by the halogen atom on the same carbon chain.

    The following compounds are position isomers:and
     because the atoms of bromine are on different positions
    of the chain. 
    Hence, all isomers of the compound with molecular formula
    are the following.

    Checking Up 4.2:
    1. How many positional isomers possess the chlorobromopropane,

          Enumerate those able to form optical isomers. 

        Draw their structuralformulae.

        2. Illustrate the structural formulas of : 

             a. 1,1,2-trichloropropane

            a. 2-chloro-2-methylpropane

    4.3. Physical properties of halogenoalkanes

           Activity 4.3

     1. Consider the following substances:

    Sodium chloride, potassium bromide, hexane, pentane, trichlomethane, 
    terachloromethane.

    Mix a sample of each compound (1g for solids, 2ml for liquids) with 10ml 
    of water.
    2. Record your observations.
    3. Write down your conclusions.
    4. Based on the physical state and the nature of chemical bonding, predict 
    the increasing order in the boiling points of the compounds above.

    5. Write down your conclusions. 

    1. Volatility

    Volatility is a property that shows if a substance transforms easily or not into vapour 
    or gaseous form. This property depends on the nature of the bonds that make up 
    the molecule of the substance. Generally non polar covalent compounds are more 
    volatile than polar covalent compounds. We know that halogens when bonded to 

    other atoms form polar bonds because they possess high electronegativities: 

         F =  
    The more the difference of electronegativities of the atoms that form the bond, 
    the more polar is the bond. This explains the high polarity of C-F bond with an 
    electronegativity difference of 1.5, and the low polarity of C-Cl and C-Br bonds where 

    the electronegativity differences are 0.5 and 0.3 respectively. 

    The presence of polarity or charge distribution results into more attraction between 
    polar molecules called dipole-dipole attraction forces, one type of Van der Waals 

    forces, as shown below:

         

    The dashed line represents the attraction forces between the polar molecules or 

    dipoles. 

    Therefore, more energy must be supplied to separate polar molecules and this 
    explains why melting and boiling temperatures of fluoroalkanes and chloroalkanes 
    are higher than those of alkanes of similar molecular mass. 

    As we have already learnt, molecules of organic halogen compounds are generally 
    polar. Due to the greater polarity as well as higher molecular mass as compared 
    to the parent hydrocarbons, the intermolecular forces of attraction (dipole-dipole 
    and Van der Waals) are stronger in the halogen derivatives. That is why the boiling 
    points of chlorides, bromides and iodides are considerably higher than those of the 

    hydrocarbons of comparable molecular mass (Table 4.1).

    Table 4.1: Comparison of boiling points of some halogenoalkanes

                 

    Chloromethane, bromomethane, chloroethane and some chlorofluoromethanes 
    are gases at room temperature. Higher members are liquids or solids.
     

    The attractions get stronger as the molecules get bigger in size. The pattern of 
    variation of boiling points of different halides is depicted in Figure 4.1. For the same 
    alkyl group, the boiling points of alkyl halides increase in the order: RF <RCl < RBr, < 
    RI This is because with the increase in size and mass of halogen atom, the magnitude 
    of Van der Waal forces increases.

    2. Solubility
    The solubility is the capacity of a substance to dissolve in a given solvent; in chemistry 
    the most common solvent we refer to is water. It is a result of the interaction between 
    the molecules of the substance, a solute, and the molecules of the solvent.

    Polar molecules can interact with water molecules, but the attractive forces set 
    up between water molecules and molecules concerned are not as strong as the 
    hydrogen bonds present in water. Halogenoalkanes therefore, although they 
    dissolve more than alkanes, are only slightly soluble in water.

    3. State
    The state of matter is the physical appearance of that matter: solid, liquid and 
    gaseous. 

    Chloromethane, bromomethane, chloroethane and chloroethene are colourless 
    gases at room temperature and pressure. The higher members are colourless liquids 
    with a sweet pleasant smell.

    4. Density
    The density is a measure of the quantity of matter by volume unit. Cotton wool is 
    less dense than sand because if you compare the quantity of matter cotton wool 
    and sand contained in for instance you find that there more matter
     in sand than 
    in cotton wool.

    The density of halogenoalkanes increases in the order RCl < RBr < RI, since the 
    atomic weight of halogens increases in order Cl < Br < I. Iodo, bromo and polychloro 

    derivatives are denser than water but chloro derivatives are less dense than water.

    Checking up 4.3

    1. Arrange each set of compounds below in order of increasing boiling 
         points and explain why.
         a. Bromomethane, tribromomethane, chloromethane, 
              dibromomethane.
         b. 1-chloropropane, 2-chloro-2-methylpropane, 1-chlorobutane.
    2. Explain the origin of the difference between the boiling temperatures of 

        the following compounds:

                   

    4.4. Preparation methods of halogenoalkanes

      1. From alkenes and alkynes

      Activity 4.4.1

               1. Give the product for each of the following chemical reaction.

                                       

             2. Identify the class of the products of the reactions above.

        Halogenoalkanes can be prepared by a reaction of alkenes or alkynes with:

    i. hydrogen halides 
       Addition of hydrogen halide to alkenes, gives alkyl halides as the products. The 

       orientation in the addition reaction is described by Markovnikov’s rule (see alkenes). 

                                  

                    

                   ii. Halogens

                      

                   


                 2. From alcohols

    When ethanol reacts with potassium bromide in the presence of concentrated 
    sulphuric acid, bromoethane is formed. The reactions that took place in flask A are 

    the following.

                

      In this reaction the hydroxyl group –OH is replaced with a bromine atom.
    Halogenoalkanes are also obtained from alcohols using other reagents such as 

    phosphorus halides. 

                                    

                            

               3. From alkanes

              Activity 4.4.2

    Observe the set up below and answer to the following questions.
    Record your answers and discuss. 
                           
                             Picture 4.2: preparation of halogenoalkanes

    a. Observe carefully the picture and suggest the product of the reaction in 
         flask A.
    b. What is the role of: 
    i. Concentrated sulphuric acid? 

    ii. Water in the picture above?

    Direct halogenation of alkanes in the presence of ultraviolet light
    gives alkyl halides and a hydrogen halide.

    Example:

    4. From aldehydes or ketones

                     


                    

    Checking up 4.4:

    1. Complete the following chemical reactions :

                 

    2. Give the reagents and conditions needed to make the following 
         compounds from 1-bromopropane:

    a) propan-1-ol, b) propene.

    4.5. Chemical properties

             Activity 4.5.1 

    To investigate some reactions of halogenoalkanes
    To of dilute sodium hydroxide solution in a test tube, 
    add 5 drops of 1-bromobutane and gently warm the mixture.
    Carefully smell the product. 
    Neutralize the solution with dilute nitric acid. Acidify the solution by adding 5 
    more drops of nitric acid.
    Then add 5 drops of silver nitrate and observe. Write down your observations.
    Write the equation of the reactions that take place. What is the role of sodium 
    hydroxide in this experiment?  
    When 1-bromobutane reacts with dilute sodium hydroxide solution, a product 
    with a sweet alcoholic smell is formed. That indicates that an alcohol is formed. 
    The formation of a pale yellow precipitate on addition of silver nitrate indicates 
    the presence of bromide ions. That means the carbon-bromine bond has been 
    heterolytically broken (the bromine atom takes the whole bonding electron pair). In 
    other words the bromine atom has been replaced by hydroxide ions. Thus, sodium 
    hydroxide provides the OH- ion which replaces bromine atom which leaves as a 
    bromide ion. As OH is a nucleophile (Lewis base) this reaction is called nucleophilic 

    substitution.

           

    The order of reactivity for the same alkyl group is such that iodides > bromides > 

    chlorides >fluorides.”>”, “are more reactive than “

                

    The greater the electronegativity of the halogen, the greater the separation of charges 
    on the carbon and the halogen atoms, hence the stronger the bond. Therefore the 
    reaction is fastest with Iodoalkane because iodine is less electronegative compared 
    to bromine and Cl. Hence it will have weak C-I bond unlike that of C-Cl which will be 
    very strong due to the strong electronegativity of the chlorine atom. Hence bond 

    energies below are due to the above reason.

          

      Because the carbon atom attached to the halogen atom is deprived of its electron, it 
    carries a partial positive charge . Thus when electron rich substrates 
    called nucleophiles, approach the carbon atom, the halogen atom leaves as a halide 
    ion. Hence alkyl halides undergo nucleophilic substitution reaction, also written 

    as SN.

         1. Nucleophilic substitution reaction:

              

    a. Reaction with aqueous alkali: 

    when alkyl halides are refluxed with aqueous alkali, or moist silver oxide, alcohols 

    are produced through substitution of the halogen by hydroxide ion.

    This reaction is also called “hydrolysis”
         

     Example:     

    Note: Tertiary alkyl halides react by   mechanism, i.e. the mechanism where 
    the first step is the self ionization forming a carbonium ion (carbocation), an alkyl 
    radical that has lost its electron and bear a positive charge on the carbon, which 
    immediately adds the nucleophile 

    Secondary alkyl halides however react by either  mechanism depending 

    on the condition of the reaction while primary alkyl halides react by  (see below).

    : Unimolecular Nucleophilic Substitution that takes place in two steps; the 

        reaction rate is determined by the concentration of one molecule.

                       

       Example of  reaction: hydrolysis of tertiary alkyl halides with sodium 

       hydroxide.

                             

      The hydrolysis can also take place when water alone is added to tertiary alkyl halides. 

       In this case water molecules act as nucleophiles.  

                           

         Mechanism: 

    Step 1: Self ionization of the alkyl halides to a stable carbonium ion and a halide ion. 

    This is the slowest step of the reaction hence it is the rate determining step.

                        

              Step 2: Attack by incoming nucleophile. This is a fast reaction.

                    

    The potential energy (P.E )against reaction co-ordinate for hydrolysis of tertiary alkyl 
    halides is as below (Fig.4.2). Potential energy is the energy stored in chemical bonds 
    of a substance, or the energy of an object due to its position.

    The diagram below shows that the products formed have lower energy than the 

    reactants, this indicates a favorable situation for the reaction to occur spontaneously.

                              

                                                          Figure 4.2:  potential energy diagram

     The potential energy of the system initially increases because the energy is required 
    to break C-X bond; but when the stable carbocation is formed, energy is released 
    and the potential energy decreases a bit. As the carbocation and the nucleophile 
    (OH-) require a minimum energy (activation energy) to collide efficiently, the P.E 
    rises again until the transition state is reached, where the carbon-oxygen is being 
    formed. When this bond is completely formed, energy is released and the potential 

    energy decreases.

    : Bimolecular Nucleophilic Substitution that takes place in one step; the 
       reaction rate depends on the concentration of Nu-
      and the concentration of R-X. 
    In this mechanism, contrary to mechanism, the intermediate state also called 
    “activated complex” comprises both the leaving group and the entering group: in 

    the reaction below, the leaving group is X whereas the entering group is Nu. 

           

    b. Reaction with sodium alkoxides

    Treatment of alkyl halides with sodium alkoxides produces ethers 

    (Wiliamson synthesis)

               

    c. Reactions with silver salt of carboxylic acid
      When alkyl halides are refluxed with silver salt of carboxylic acid, esters are formed:

    (d) Reaction with potassium cyanide
      When alkylhalides are refluxed with KCN, in presence of an alcohol, alkyl nitriles are 

      produced.

            

       Example:

            

    Note: This reaction is of practical importance in organic synthesis
                 because it is used to increase the length of a carbon chain.

         e. Reaction with silver nitrite

    When alkyl halides are refluxed with silver nitrite, a mixture of a nitro alkane and 
    alkyl nitrite are obtained as the products. The difference between the two products 
    is in the bonds between the nitrite and the alkyl: 
    in nitro alkane and C-ONO in alkyl nitrite.

    The two products can be separated by fractional distillation.
           
    f. Reaction with ammonia and amines

    Reaction of alkyl halide with concentrated ammonia produces a mixture of amines
           
    The alkyl amine produced can then react with a molecule of alkyl iodide to produce 

    a series of substituted amines as shown in the reactions below:

               

    Example of reaction: hydrolysis of primary alkyl halides with sodium hydroxide

                
    The transition state shows partial C-O bond formation and partial C-I bond cleavage.

        Energy change diagram during the reaction is as below:

                      

    The P.E of the system initially increases along AB curve because energy is required 
    to break C-I bond; but when C-O is formed, energy is released and this is shown by 
    the curve BC. Since energy released by the formation of C-O bond is greater than the 
    energy required to break C-I, the products end up with a lower energy compared 
    to the reactant and this is favourable for the reaction to occur. At B a maximum 
    P.E is reached when C-I bond is partially broken and C-O bond is partially formed. 

    This state is called the transition state or activated complex. The energy barrier, 
    Ea, which must be overcome in order that the transition state is reached, is called 
    the activation energy of the reaction. The P.E of the system then falls along BC 

    releasing energy due to the formation of C-O bond. 

    Primary alkyl halides prefer  reaction because of the unstable nature of the 
    intermediate or the activated complex formed in  mechanism, the primary 

    carbonium ion,

                          Table: 4. 1: Summary of alkyl halides reactions.

                   

               2) Elimination reactions 

                    Activity 4.5.2

    1. What is meant by elimination reaction?
    2. Can halogenoalkanes undergo elimination reactions? Explain.
    3. a. What are the products of an elimination reaction in halogenoalkanes? 
        b. What specific name is given to this reaction?
       c. What are the conditions and reagent required for this type of 

           reaction?

    An elimination reaction is where a saturated organic compound loses an atom 
    or group of atoms to form an unsaturated organic compound. Elimination is the 
    opposite of addition reaction.

    Alkyl halides when boiled with alcoholic potassium hydroxide form alkenes by 

    elimination reaction. Hence the alkyl halide loses a molecule of the hydrogen halide.

                   

    Note: Elimination reaction usually occurs in competition with substitution reaction. 
    So when chloroethane is treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide two organic 

    products are formed depending on the conditions of the reaction.

               

    Ethene is formed by elimination reaction while diethyl ether is formed by substitution 

    reaction.

    Ether is formed by  mechanism in which  is acting as nucleophile.
    while 
    Ethene is formed by elimination reaction in which  is acting as base?

           
     Mechanism:  
                  

     Because the two molecules are involved i.e. 
     and  the reaction is bimolecular and since the alkyl halide loses a mole of HCl 
    the reaction is called elimination. Hence the reaction is a bimolemolecular elimination (E2).

    In competition between and E2 in primary or secondary alkyl halides, the nature 
    of the product formed depends on the solvent, temperature, and structure of the 

    halide. 

    Elimination is favoured by use of high temperature and a strong base e.g alcohol 

    instead of water.

    For tertiary alkyl halides, elimination occurs by E1 mechanism. In the mechanism, 

    the tertiary alkyl halide undergoes ionization first and then later loses a proton.

                  

    3) Wurtz reaction

    Alkyl halides with sodium metal to give alkanes.

    These are compounds in which more than one halogen atom is present. There are 
    two main types of dihalides.
    Gem dihalides: This is where two halogen atoms are attached to the same carbon 

    atom.

    Example

    Vicinal dihalides: Here the two halogen atoms are on adjacent carbon atoms

    Example

    The reactions of dihalogenoalkanes are similar to those of monohalogenoalkanes 

    but require more reagents.

    Examples      

    Elimination reaction with excess hot alkali produces alkynes

                         

    Checking up 4.5

    1. Give the structural formula of the main product of each of the following 

          reactions:


                 

    2. Halogenoalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution reaction. Discuss 
         this statement.

    3. a. What is a nucleophile? Give two examples.
    b. Why do nucleophiles attack halogenoalkanes?
    c. What two types of reaction are in competition when a 
        halogenoalkane reacts with a nucleophile? Name two products 
        which can be formed from 1-bromopropane by these reactions.

    4. 2- Chloro-2-methyl propane reacts with aqueous sodium hydroxide to 
             form 2-methylpropan-2-ol.

    a. Draw what should be the energy diagram for the reaction.
    b. Write the mechanism for the reaction.
    c. (i) Sketch an energy diagram for the reaction of aqueous sodium 
              hydroxide and chloromethane.
        (ii) Outline the mechanism for the reaction.
    d. outline the mechanism for the reaction

    4.6. Chemical test for the presence of halogenoalkanes

    Activity 4.6:

    Put 2mL of ethanol into each of 4 test tubes labelled A-D. A is the control tube and 
    therefore no alkyl halides are to be added. To B, add 3-4 drops of 1-chlorobutane. 
    To C, add 3-4 drops of 1-bromobutane and to D, add 3-4 drops of 1-iodobutane 
    using Pasteur pippete. Stopper the tubes and place them in a hot water bath at 
    about 
    and leave for a few minutes to equilibrate. Working quickly add about 
    1mL of silver nitrate solution to each tube. Start the stopwatch and shake the 
    tubes to ensure complete mixing.

    a. Record your observations 
    b. Make a comment about comparison of the reactions of the three 

         halogeno alkane

    Halogenoalkanes can be identified due to some tests. The following Table illustrate 

    some chemical tests of halogenoalkanes.

    Table 4. 2: Chemical test for halogenoalkanes

                         

    Checking up 4.6

    Given two samples A and B. You carry out the test for haloalkanes and get the 
    following results: A form a pale yellow precipitate and B form a white precipitate. 
    Which sample represents and which one represents 

    Write chemical equations to justify your answer.

    4.7. Uses of halogenoalkanes and dangers associated with CFCs

            Activity 4.7

    1. Do you know CFCs? If yes what do you know about them?
    2. Do CFCs affect directly our health in our daily life? If yes explain how.
    3. What are the dangers posed by CFCs?
    4. What solutions do you propose or have been proposed to the problem 

         of CFCs

    Solvents: 

        

    Medicine:

      is used in anesthesia

    Agriculture:

    • DDT: Dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane is used as insecticide- DDT. Colorless 
    chemical pesticide, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, used to eradicate 
    disease-carrying and crop-eating insects. It was first isolated in Germany 
    in 1874, but not until 1939 did the Swiss Nobel Prize-winning chemist Paul 
    Müller recognize it as a potent nerve poison on insects. The product is banned 

    in Rwanda. Below is the structure of DDT.

                                                    

    Home: Refrigeration, perfumes, etc…

    Halogenoalkanes which have boiling temperatures just below room temperature 
    can easily be liquefied by a slight increase in pressure. Halogenoalkanes containing 

    chlorine and fluorine and no hydrogen are Chlorofluorohydrocarbons. Examples are 

    They are usually called chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs. In 
    addition to having low boiling temperatures, they are non-flammable, odorless, 

    stable, non-toxic and solvents.

     • CFCs appeared to be ideal for use as fluids in refrigerators and as solvents 
    in aerosol sprays
    , they were developed in the 1920s as what appeared to 
    be ideal replacements for liquid ammonia and liquid Sulphur dioxide, which 
    were formerly used as fluids in refrigerators and air-conditioning units. Being 
    good solvents, they were also ideal as the solvents in aerosol sprays.
    Aerosols were used to dispense insecticides, hairsprays, perfumes and deodorants, 

    window-cleaning, polishes, waxes and laundry products. As more and more 
    uses were found for these remarkable compounds, CFCs became big business,
    with hundreds of thousands of tones being produced yearly. Now they 

    are being phased out. These stable, non-toxic compounds are dangerous!

    Their high stability has turned out to be a problem, during all the time that 
    the use of CFCs was increasing, no-one thought about what would happen to 
    the gases in the atmosphere. Because of their lack of reactivity and insolubility
    in water, there is no natural process for removing CFCs. In fact they drift up 

    into the stratosphere where ultraviolet light causes photolysis, i.e. a reaction 
    cause by light. The chlorine radicals formed in photolysis take part in a chain 

    reaction which converts ozone into oxygen.

               

    As you can notice, the chain of reaction above results in the decomposition of ozone 
    ,which does have the capacity to absorb, and stop dangerous UV from reaching the 
    Earth into ordinary oxygen. This can be avoided if and only if human activities send 

    no CFCs in the atmosphere.

    • This reduce the thickness of the ozone layer. Reactions (a) to (c) form a chain. 
    This is why one chlorine radical from one CFC molecule can destroy thousands 

    of ozone molecules.

    And what can be done?

    Replacements for CFCs have been found, because of concern over the 
    decrease in the ozone layer, many nations have agreed to cut down the use 
    of CFCs. Alternative compounds are already in production. Hydrohalocarbons 
    contain at least one hydrogen atom per molecule. The C-H bond can be 
    attacked by HO• radicals in the lower atmosphere and the compounds do not 

    reach the upper atmosphere. Hydro halocarbons include

    • Hydrochlorofluorocarbons,  used in blowing plastics
        foam and used in air-conditioners
    • Hydrofluorocarbons, used in air-conditioners and refrigerators. 

    HCFs cause no damage to the ozone layer, although they are greenhouse gases.

    Checking Up 4.7

    1. State four industrial uses of the halogenoalkanes. Why do fluoroalkanes 

         find special uses?

     4.8. End Unit Assessment

    1. Which of the following is NOT a halogenoalkane compound:
        a. Tribromo benzene 
        b. 3-iodohexane
        c. 2-chloro-3-methylpentane

        d. 2-bromopentane

    2. Choose from a list of words and fill in the missing words in the text 
         below

            Halogenoalkane, iodine, alkyl halide, haloarene, thyroxine
            …………………………..compounds are compounds in which the 
           halogen atoms like chlorine, bromine, ………… or fluorine are 
           attached to a hydrocarbon chain or an aromatic ring. When the halogen 
           atom is attached to a hydrocarbon chain the compound is called an 

            …………………… or ………………………..

    3. Answer by True or False
          a. Chloroform is employed as a solvent in paint remover.
         b. Iodoform was used earlier as an antiseptic.
        c. Methyl chloride, methyl bromide, ethyl chloride and some 
             chlorofluoromethanes are gases at room temperature.
        d. The objects which are non-superimposable on their mirror image 
             (like a pair of hands) are said to be chiral and this property is known 
            as chirality. While the objects, which are superimposable on their 

            mirror images are called achiral.

      e. (chloroform): is used as insecticide
      f. DDT: Dichloride diphenyl trichloroethane is used as anesthesia
     g. Halogenoalkanes therefore, although they dissolve more than 
        alkanes, are only slightly soluble in water.
     h. Halogenoalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution reactions in 
        which the halogen atom is replaced by a nucleophile.
     i. Elimination reaction is where a saturated organic compound loses 
       an atom or group of atoms attached to form unsaturated organic 

       compound.

    4. Name the following halides according to IUPAC system and classify 

       them as primary, secondary or tertiary halogenoalkanes

                           

    1. Write the structures of the following organic halogen compounds.
         a. 2-chloro-3-methylpentane
        b. 2-chloro-2-methylpropane
       c. 2,3-dichlorobutane
       d. 2-bromo-4-chloropentane

       e. 1,1,2-trichloropropane

    2. Why do bromoalkanes react more readily than chloroalkanes?
    3. Why does 1-bromopropane react with nucleophiles but propane does 

    not?

    4. Write the equations for the preparation of 1-iodobutane from
     (a) 1-butanol, (b)1-chlorobutane, (c) but-1-ene

    5. Write the structure of the major organic product 

        in each of the following reactions:

                 

    6. Arrange the compound of each set in order of reactivity towards SN2 
    displacement:

    a. 2-bromo-2-methylbutane, 1-bromopentane, 2-bromopentane
    b. 1-bromo-3-methylbutane, 2-bromo-2-methylbutane, 3-bromo-2-
        methyl butane
    c. 1-bromobutane, 1-bromo-2,2-dimethylpropane, 1-bromo-2-

        methyl butane, 1-bromo-3-methylbutane.

    7. a) There are four strucural isomers of molecular formula C4

     The formulae of two of these isomers are given.

          

     i. Draw the remaining two structural isomers.

     ii. Give the name of isomer 2

    b) All four structural isomers of  undergo similar reactions with ammonia

    i. Give the name of the mechanism involved in these reactions.
    ii. Draw the structural formula of the product formed by the reaction 
        of isomer 2 with ammonia.
    iii. Select the isomer of molecular formula C4
           that would be most 
          reactive with ammonia. State the structural feature of your chosen 
          isomer that makes it the most reactive of the four isomers.
    iv. The elimination of HBr from Isomer 1 produces two structural 
          isomers, compounds A and B.
    v. Give the reagents and conditions required for this elimination 
        reaction.
    c) Ethene, C2H4, reacts with bromine to give 1,2-dibromoethane.
    i. Give the name of the mechanism involved.
    ii. Show the mechanism for this reaction.
    vi. Give the structural formulae of the two isomers, A and B formed by 

          elimination of HBr from isomer 1.

  • UNIT 5: ALCOHOLS AND ETHERS

            Key unit competency:

    To be able to compare the physical and chemical properties of alcohols and ethers to 

    their preparation methods, reactivity and uses.

    Learning objectives: 

    • Distinguish between alcohols from other organic compounds by 
       representing the functional group of alcohols
    • Classify primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols by carrying out the method 
        of identification
    • Write the name of alcohols by using IUPAC system
    • Describe the physical properties of alcohols to other series of organic 
      compounds 
    • Carry out the method of preparation of alcohols 
    • Describe the local process of making alcohol by fermentation.
    • Explain the effect of oxidation on urwagwa when it overstays 
    • Compare the physical, chemical and the method of preparation of alcohols to 
       ethers

    • State the use of ethers

    Introductory activity

    The following represent two pictures or pictures A and B. Observe each picture 

    carefully and answer to the related questions.

                

    1. Discuss the meaning of each picture.

    2. What objects do you observe in the above pictures?

    3. Explain the consequences that can arise from the picture B

    5.1. Definition and nomenclature

          Activity 5.1

    1. Look at the following compounds and classify them in their 

        homologous series.

                

    2. By doing your own research, distinguish the rules used to name 

        alcohol compounds.

         5.1.1. Definition

    Alcohols are organic compounds that are derivatives of hydrocarbons where one 
    or more hydrogen atoms of hydrocarbon is or are replaced by hydroxyl (-OH) group. 

    They are represented by the general formula:

    where R is a radical: alkyl group made by a chain of carbon atoms

    Alcohols are called monohydric if only one hydroxyl group is present 
     Dihydric alcohols are those with two hydroxyl group
    (diol: vicinal and gem), trihydric (triols) and polyhydric are those with many – C-OH groups.
    The functional group attached is –OH group to any atom of carbon.

       5.1.2. Nomenclature

     According to IUPAC system, alcohols are named by replacing the final ‘‘e’’ of the 
    parent hydrocarbon with ‘‘ol’’, then specify the position of -OH group before ending 

    by ol.

                   

      When there are more than one hydroxyl group present, prefixes, di, tri, tetra,... are used.

         

        

           Notice: -OH group takes priority over alkyls substituents, double or triple bonds and 

                             even halides. 

       

       Checking up 5.1 According to IUPAC system, name each of the following compounds:

          5.2. Classification and isomerism 

              Activity 5.2

    1. Write the structural formulas of all organic compounds containing 
       C-OH group and fit the molecular formula
    2. Based on their structures and your knowledge about classes of 
        halogenoalkanes, classify the compounds identified in 1) above.
    3. Classify them as chain and position isomers.

    4. Which of them can exhibit optical isomerism?

    Alcohols are classified as: 
    Primary alcohols: These have only one alkyl group attached to the carbon 

    carrying the –OH.

    Examples

               

    Secondary alcohols: they are alcohols in which the OH group is attached to carbon 

    atom bonded to two other carbon atoms.

                   

    Tertiary alcohols: they are alcohols in which the OH group is attached to carbon 

    atom bonded to three other carbon atoms. 

                         

    Alcohols containing at least three carbon atoms exhibit different types of isomerism:

    • Chain isomerism: 

    This is due to the difference in the size of the chain.

                                  

    • Position isomerism: 

    This is due to different positions taken by the –OH in the same carbon chain.

                    

    • Functional isomers: 

    Except methanol which has one carbon, other alcohols are isomers with ethers 
    another chemical function of general formula R-O-R’
     where R and R’ are alkyl groups 

    or aryl groups but not hydrogen.

             

    5.3. Physical properties

             Activity 5.3.

         Analyze the following data and answer to the question

         

         Explain the trends in the boiling point of the molecules given in the table

         Compare and explain the differences in the boiling point of alkanes and alcohols

         a. Boiling points

    The chart shows the boiling points of some simple primary alcohols and alkanes 

    with up to 4 carbon atoms.

              

                                  Figure 5.1: boiling points of alcohols and alkanes   

      • The boiling point of an alcohol is always much higher than that of the alkane 
        with the same number of carbon atoms.

    • The boiling points of the alcohols increase as the number of carbon atoms 
       increases.

    • The boiling point of alcohols with branches is lower than that of unbranched 
       alcohols with the same number of carbon atoms. This is because increased 
        branching gives molecules a nearly spherical shape and the surface area 
       of contact between molecules in the liquid. This results in weakened 
       intermolecular forces and therefore in lower boiling points.

    • Tertiary alcohols exhibit the lowest boiling point than secondary and primary 
        alcohols:

    • Primary alcohol        > Secondary alcohol                         > Tertiary alcohol
     Highest boiling point                                                                      lowest boiling point

    The patterns in boiling point reflect the patterns in intermolecular attractions: 
    In the case of alcohols, there are hydrogen bonds set up between the slightly positive 

    hydrogen atoms and lone pairs on oxygen in other molecules.

                                 

     b. Solubility of alcohols in water

    The lower members of alcohols are completely soluble in water because mixed 
    hydrogen bonds between water and alcohol molecules are formed. As the length of 

    hydrocarbon group of the alcohol increases, the solubility decreases.

    c. Volatility

    Alcohols are volatile and the volatility decreases as the molecular mass increases. 
    Compared to alkyl halides, alcohols are less volatile. Polyalcohol are viscous or solids. 
    Example: propane-1, 2, 3-triol (glycerine). This is due to stronger intermolecular 

    forces than those of mono alcohols.    

    Checking up 5.3

    1. Comment on the solubility of alcohols compared to alkanes in water.

    2. Ethanol with a molecular mass of 46 and butane with a molecular mass 

        of 58 have the boiling point of   respectively. 

        Explain these differences.

    3. Are alcohols electric conductors? Justify your answer. 

    5.4. Alcohol preparations

           Activity 5.4

    Complete the following chemical equations. For each, show the mechanism of 

    the reaction 

                         

       Alcohols are prepared with different methods

       a. From alkyl halides

    Alkyl halides when refluxed with aqueous alkali (NaOH or KOH) or moist silver 
    oxide (Ag OH) produce alcohols. The hydrolysis occurs by a nucleophile substitution 

    reaction. 

                         

    Note: During the reaction of these preparations of alcohols, you have to use the 
    dilute NaOH, KOH and warm in order to increase the rate of   
     for primary alcohol while tertiary alcohols undergo 

    b. From alkenes
    Alkenes react with water in the presence concentrated sulphuric acid to yields 

    alcohols

                    

    Notice: Alkenes in the presence of Aluminum oxide reacts with water to form 

    alcohols in vapour phase then condense to give liquid alcohols.

                          

    c. From carbonyl compounds

    When aldehydes and ketones are reduced by hydrogen in the presence of a suitable 

    catalyst like Pt, Ni or Pd, they form primary and secondary alcohols respectively.

                    

                    

         Note: Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate (LiAlH4 ) can also be used as a reducing agent.

                     

     Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate is not a stronger enough as reducing agent to reduce 
     a double bond unlike 
     which can reduce both the double bond and the carbonyl group.
           Activity 5.5 

     Process of alcoholic fermentation       

    d. From esters

    Esters on hydrolysis in the presence of mineral acid or alkalis produce alcohols and 

    carboxylic acids.

        
    Note:
               group followed by hydrolysis.

    e. From Grignard reagents

    The reaction between carbonyl compound and Grignard reagent (alkyl magnesium 
    halides) produces an alcohol with more carbon atoms. The reaction is a nucleophilic 

    addition on a carbonyl compound.

          

             

    f. From primary amine to give primary alcohol

    Primary amines react with nitrous acid to produce primary alcohols. 

           

    Checking up 5.4

    1. Using chemical equations, explain how 3-methylbutan-2-ol could be 
          prepared: 
       a. from an alkene
       b. using a Grignard reagent
       c. from a halogenoalkanes
       d. from an amine

       e. by reduction of a carbonyl compound

    5.5. Preparation of ethanol by fermentation

         Activity 5.5 

       Process of alcoholic fermentation


            

    6. Observe the above pictures and then interpret each picture. 
    7. Describe the process followed to produce alcohol refer to the above 
         pictures. 
    a. What are the raw materials used in the process? 
    b. What is the main component of the final products? 
    c. Give the name of the process illustrated by the picture

    d. Propose another process that can be used to yield the product in b.

    This method is mainly used to prepare ethanol industrially. Ethanol is prepared from 
    starch (e.g. maize, cassava, millet, sorghum) and sugar (e.g. banana juice, molasses) 
    by fermentation process.

    Fermentation can be defined as any of many anaerobic biochemical reactions 
    in which enzymes produced by microorganisms catalyse the conversion of one 

    substance into another.

    Alcoholic fermentation is the process in which enzymes act on carbohydrates to 
    give simpler compounds like ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide 

    a. From starch
     malt obtained either from maize grain, millet, or cassava contains an enzyme called 

    diastase which catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch to maltose.

               

    At room temperature, yeast is added and one of its enzymes called maltase catalyzes 

    the hydrolysis of maltose to simple sugar so called glucose.

          

    Finally another enzyme of yeast called zymase catalyzes the decomposition of 

    glucose to ethanol.

                

    b. From sugar 

    Molasses containing sugars are mixed with water and yeast and then allowed to 
    ferment for several days after which ethanol are obtained during fermentation 
    process.

    One enzyme of the yeast called sucrase catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose present 

    in the molasses to glucose and fructose.

                

    Thus, another enzyme of yeast called zymase catalyzes 

    the decomposition of glucose to ethanol.

              

    The ethanol obtained by fermentation process is only about 11%. This is made 
    concentrated by distillation which converts it to about 95% ethanol. This on further 
    distillation yields a constant boiling mixture whose composition does not change 
    (an azeotropic mixture). 

    Therefore, 100% ethanol is obtained by either:
    i. Adding quick lime which removes water
    ii. Distilling with of benzene as a third component

    Note: Methanol can be prepared industrially by the reaction of carbon monoxide 
    and hydrogen at 300 °C and a pressure of 200 atmospheres.

                 

    Checking up 5.5
    1. Briefly, describe the preparation of ethanol by alcoholic fermentation.
    2. Compare and contrast the preparation of ethanol by hydration of ethene 

    and by alcoholic fermentation.

    Project work 5.1
    The task is about the fermentation of glucose
    Part A
    In this project, you will investigate the fermentation of different types of 
    substances containing starch. 
    Requirements 
    • Conical flask, 
    • some yeast, 
    • some boiled potatoes, 
    • some bread, 
    • some boiled cassava, 
    • boiling tube, 
    • cork with delivery tubes, 
    • stands and cramps, 
    • glucose, 

    • weighing balance

    Why boiled potatoes or cassava is preferred?
    Procedure
    Weigh 25g of each starch including glucose and place them in separate conical 
    flasks. Add to each one spatula of dried yeast followed by 100 cm3
     of water.

    Cork the conical flask and connect it to boiling tube containing lime water as 
    shown in the figure below. Label each flask clearly. Leave all the flasks in a warm 
    environment. Record your observation for seven days.
    c. The conical flask
    d. The boiling tube

    For each type of starch

                             

    Note: use the same quantity and concentration of lime water in each boiling 
    tube.
    Part B: Comparison of yield of alcohol obtained

     Filter the mixture from each flask separately and collect the filtrate in measuring 
    cylinder. Record the volume in each case. Perform fractional distillation on each 
    filtrate, collecting the fraction between  Record the volume of 
    distillate collected from each starch.
    Take  
    of each on watch glass, ignite and note the time it takes to burn completely.
    Observe the amount of water left on watch glass.

    5.6. Chemical properties of alcohols

    Activity 5.6.1.
    To investigate the oxidation reaction of an alcohol.
    Requirements: methanol, ethanol, 2M sulphuric acid, potassium dichromate 
    solution, test tubes, burner, droppers, propan-2-ol and 2-methylpropan-2-ol.

    Procedure: 
    • Place 5 drops of methanol in test tube
    • Add 10 drops of dilute sulphuric acid followed by 5 drops of potassium 
      dichromate solution.
    • Warm the mixture gently
    • Repeat the experiment with ethanol, propan-2-ol and 2-methylpropan-2-ol.
         1. What happens to the colour of the solution?
        2. Explain the observation.

        3. Write an equation for the reaction taking place.

    5.6.1. Oxidation

    Primary and secondary alcohols are oxidized to aldehydes and ketones respectively 

    by use of acidified. nitric acid once concentrated.

                        

                 

    Aldehydes formed by oxidation of primary alcohols tend to undergo further 

    oxidation to carboxylic acid.

     Ketones formed by oxidation of secondary alcohols are not further oxidized, unless 
    if the oxidizing agent is hot and concentrated in which case bonds around the –
    CO_ group are broken and two smaller carboxylic acids are formed.

              

    Tertiary alcohols resist oxidation because they have no hydrogen atom attached on 
    the functional carbon atom. Oxidation also occurs when the alcohol is in gaseous 
    phase by used of silver or copper catalyst under 500 °C and 300 °C respectively;
    and the vapour of the alcohol is passed with air (oxygen) over heated silver.

    Example 

    These reactions help to distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary 
    alcohols because primary and secondary alcohols decolourise the purple 

    solution of 

    An acidified potassium dichromate solution is turned from orange to green when it 

    reacts with primary and secondary alcohols. 

    Secondary alcohols having the following structure only undergo 
    oxidation, on treatment with iodine solution in the presence of sodium hydroxide to 

    give yellow precipitate of tri-iodomethane.

    Note: This is a reaction which is characteristic of methyl ketones, but
    iodine here acting as an oxidizing agent first oxidizes the 
    then the methyl ketone formed then gives the yellow precipitate of (Iodoform).

    From the reaction involved we have the Iodoform test.

          

               

    5.6.2. Reaction with sulphuric acid 

    Activity 5.6.2

    Show the product of the reaction referring to the preparation of alkenes and 

    show the mechanism of reaction.

             

    Alcohols react with concentrated acid to give products depending on the nature of 
    the alcohol and conditions of reactions.
    a. At about 0 °C alcohols react with sulphuric acid to produce alkyl hydrogen 

    sulphates.     

           

    This reaction is a substitution reaction where the OH group has been replaced by
    b. At about 140°C in the presence of excess primary alcohol and concentrated 

    sulphuric acid, ether is formed.

             

        

        Mechanism 

                   

    This reaction is an intermolecular dehydration.

    c. Elimination reaction
    Alcohols are dehydrated by heating with concentrated sulphuric acid or phosphoric 
    acid to alkenes. The ease of dehydration is in the order tertiary>secondary>primary’, 

    this reaction is the intramolecular dehydration of water.

            

    Notice: For primary alcohols any temperatures between
     is sufficient and the acid should be sufficiently concentrated. 

           

    This dehydration respects Zaïtsev’s elimination law (see alkenes) reason why the 

    hydration of butan-1-ol and butan-2-ol gives the same products which is but-2-ene via

    Elimination always competes with nucleophilic substitution reaction. Substitution 
    leading to formation of ether is favoured by use of excess primary alcohols while 
    higher temperatures favour elimination. Therefore, dehydration of ethanol may 
    produce both alkenes by elimination and diethylether by substitution reaction. The 

    relative proportion of two products depends on the condition of the reaction.

     

    Dehydration of alcohols also occurs when the vapours of the alcohols are passed 
    over heat aluminium oxide at about 300 °C.
                  

    5.6.3. Esterification
    Alcohols react with organic acids in the presence of mineral acids lsuch as sulphuric 
    acid (catalyst) with elimination of water under 100 °C to produce an ester with given 

    off a perfume smell.

    This reaction is called “esterification”.

        

              

    The mechanism
    Step 1
    In the first step, the ethanoic acid takes a proton (a hydrogen ion) from the 
    concentrated sulphuric acid. The proton becomes attached to one of the lone pairs 

    on the oxygen which is double-bonded to the carbon.

            

    Step 2

    The positive charge on the carbon atom is attacked by one of the lone pairs on the 

    oxygen of the ethanol molecule.

                                                  

        Step 3

    What happens next is that a proton (a hydrogen ion) gets transferred from the 
    bottom oxygen atom to one of the others. It gets picked off by one of the other 
    substances in the mixture (for example, by attaching to a lone pair on an unreacted 
    ethanol molecule), and then dumped back onto one of the oxygens more or less at 

    random.   

        The net effect is:  

                            

    Step 4

    Now a molecule of water is lost from the ion.

                    

    The product ion has been drawn in a shape to reflect the product which we are 

    finally getting quite close to!

    The structure for the latest ion is just like the one we discussed at length back in step 
    1.
    The positive charge is actually delocalised all over that end of the ion, and there 
    will also be contributions from structures where the charge is on the either of the 

    oxygen atoms:

                 

    Step 5

    The hydrogen is removed from the oxygen by reaction with the hydrogen
    sulphate ion which was formed way back in the first step.

                 

    5.6.4. Reaction with strong electropositive metals and metal hydroxides

    Electropositive metals like Na, K, react with alcohols forming alkoxide with 

    evolution of hydrogen gas.

          

             

    Note: Alcohols are not enough acidic to react with metal hydroxides such as 

    sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

            

    5.6.5 Action of hydrohalic acids (HX)

    Activity 5.6.5

    Referring to preparation of alkyl halides, complete the following reactions: 

           

    Alcohols react with hydrohalicacids to give alkyl halides.

    Examples 

             

          

    Notice:
    i. Reaction with concentrated hydrochloric acid is catalyzed by anhydrous 
        zinc chloride.
    ii. This reaction is called LUCAS test and is used to distinguish between 
         simple primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols. In this reaction, the alcohol 

         is shaken with a solution of zinc chloride in concentrated hydrochloric acid.

    Observations: Immediate cloudiness indicates presence of a tertiary alcohol. If the 
    solution becomes cloudy within 5 minutes then the alcohol is a secondary one. 
    Primary alcohol would show no cloudiness at room temperature since the reaction 

    is very slow.

    For example all alcohols which are isomers of can be distinguished by the 

    LUCAS test.

    Alcohols are also transformed into halogenoalkanes using phosphorus halides and 

    thionyl chloride.

                  

    Checking up 5.6

    1. An organic compound A possesses 87.6 % composition by mass and the 
    rest is hydrogen. If the same molecule possesses the molecular mass of 
    56 g/mol, deduce the molecular formula of A. 

    a) The reaction of A with water produces the compound B. 
     B can be represented in different forms called isomers. Represent the 

     isomers of B.

    When B reacts with it produces different compounds 
    depending on the reaction conditions. Write the structural formulae of 
    those compounds and state the conditions of their formation.
    b) When B reacts withthree products are obtained depending on 

    the temperature used. Write structural formulae of those products.

    2. Explain why tertiary alcohols are not oxidized. 

    3. Complete the following chemical reactions and name the products obtained:

                      

    5.7. Uses of alcohols

    Activity 5.7

    In Rwnda, different types of alcoholic drinks are produced. However, some of 
    the them produced locally including “Kanyanga” are prohibited.

    a. Explain why this alcohols is prohibited?
    b. Discuss the possible effects of using non certified alcoholic drinks.
    c. How would you differentiate alcoholic products from non-alcoholic 

        ones?

    Ethanol is the alcohol found in alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic fermentation converts 
    starch sugar into ethanol. For example grapes are used to produce wine, ripe banana 
    to produce urwagwa, honey for spirits are obtained by distilling the ethanol –water 
    product obtained when sugar is fermented.

    Drinking alcohol, i.e. the ethylic alcohol also called ethanol, is a normal social activity; 
    but excess of it is dangerous for our health. Hence excess of alcoholic consumption 
    must be avoided. For non-adult youth, consumption of alcohol in any form is illegal 

    in Rwanda and many other countries.

    There are some alcoholic drinks produced in Rwanda and in the Region that are 
    prohibited to be sold in Rwanda. However, alcohols have many other applications in 

    daily life as indicated in the Table 5.1. 

                                     Table 5.1. Application of some alcohols

               

               

    Ethanol produced by sugar cane fermentation has been used as alternative fuel to 

    gasoline (petrol). It has been mixed with gasoline to produce gasohol.

    Project 5.2. USE OF ALCOHOLS

    Consult leader to your community religious, political, professionals, e.g.
    doctors, nurses, parents, teachers, and elders and find out from them the 

    following:

    • What are the true recommended users of alcohols
    • How should alcohol be used
    • Real life examples of the effect of alcohol abuse on:
    i. Social life
    ii. Spiritual life
    iii. Physical life of an individual

    a. Come up with your own resolution and statements concerning alcohol 
         abuse. Write it out on a card and share it with trusted friends and your 
         parents/guardian and mentor.

    b. Discuss with your peers show how you would help one of your members 
        of your family who is addicted to alcohol to come out of it

    c. Find out the good economic uses of alcohol.

    5.8. Ethers

    5.8.1 Structure and isomerism

     Activity 5.8.1.

    1. Represent the possible isomers of Which of them are:
    a. Structural isomers?
    b. Functional isomers 

    2. What homologous series do those isomers belong to? 

    Ethers are organic compounds in which two carbon groups are connected to a 
    single oxygen. The general formula of ether is R-O-R’. Based on the general structure 

    of ether, they are classified as symmetrical, unsymmetrical and epoxide.

    - For symmetrical esthers, R and R’ are identical

            

        - For unsymmetrical esthers, R and R’ are different (R#R’)

             

        - Cyclic ethers

             

       Checking up 5.8.

    Classify the isomers of the molecules identified in activity 5.8.1 above into 

    symmetric, asymmetric and cyclic.

    5.8.2. Physical properties

    1. Ethers are sparingly soluble in water but are soluble in organic solvents.
    2. The polar nature of the C-O bond (due to the electronegativity difference of 
        the atoms) results in intermolecular dipole-dipole interactions.
    3. An ether cannot form hydrogen bonds with other ether molecules since 
         there is no H to be donated (no -OH group).
    4. Their melting and boiling points increase with the increase in molecular 
         mass because of increasing the magnitude of Van der Waal’s forces with size.
    5. The boiling points of ethers are much lower than those of alcohols of similar 
         molecular mass. This is because of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding 

         which are present in alcohols but are not possible in ethers.

               

    5.8.3 Preparation of ethers

     Activity 5.8.2 

    1. With reference to alcohols, define intermolecular dehydration reaction. 
    2. State the reagent and conditions used in that reaction and give one 

         example

    1) Intermolecular dehydration of alcohols
    This is done by heating excess primary alcohol with concentrated sulphuric acid or 

    phosphoric acid at about 140˚C.

         

    2) From halogenoalkanes

    (a) In this method halogenoalkanes are heated together with sodium or potassium 

    alkoxides.

                  

               This is the Williamson’s synthesis

    (b) In the second method, the halogenoalkane is heated with dry silver oxide.

                     

                  

            5.9. Chemical properties of ethers

                      Activity 5.9

    A compound with molecular formula  has three isomers. One of them

    does not react with sodium metal. Identify that isomer.

    Since they are saturated compounds and non-polar, they are relatively chemically 

    inert reason why their chemical reactions are very few.

    5.9.1. Reactions in which the carbon – oxygen bond is broken

        a. Ethers react with hot concentrated sulphuric acid to form alcohols according

             to the following reaction.

                  

         

         b. Reaction with hydrohalic acids

                

         

         Ethers react with cold hydrohalic acids to form alkyl halides and alcohols. 

          R-O-R’ + HX→ ROH +R’X (cold)

              

          Note: For unsymmetrical ethers, the halogen is attached to the smaller of the two 

                       alkyl groups.

                     

                    Ethers react with hot hydrohalic acids to form only alkyl halides.

                 

    a. Ethers can act as the Lewis base due to the two non-bonded electron pair on 
    oxygen to form coordinative bonds with Grignard reagent. This explains clearly why 
    organ magnesium compounds are manipulated in ether solvent but not in water 

    since in water, there is a reaction which generate alkanes.

                                   

    b. Combustion of ethers gives carbon dioxide and water: 

              

    5.9.2 Oxidation reaction

      Ethers react with oxygen of air to form peroxides 
     (less volatile than the parent ether)

    In concentrated or solid form, these peroxides are dangerous because they are 
    highly explosive. The presence of peroxides contaminates the ether. This type of 
    contamination is purified by treatment with a reducing agent such as alkaline 

    ferrous sulphate.

    5.10. Uses of ethers

    Activity 5.10

     A nurse is injecting anaesthesia to a patient as seen by the image below. 

                         

    1. What product that form the anaesthesia.
    2. Explain the effects of anaesthesia.

    3. In which case a patient is injected anaesthesia?

    Lower ethers are used as anesthesia since they produce inert local cooling when 
    sprayed on a skin, ether are also used as local anesthesia for minor surgery operation.
    Lower ethers are volatile liquid which on evaporation produce low temperature they 

    are therefore used as refrigerants.

    Ether itself is one of the most important organic solvents for fats, oils, resins, and 

    alkaloids.

    Checking up 5.10: 

    Make a research and establish at least four uses of ethers

    5.11. End unit assessment 

    I. Multiple choice questions
    1. What is the correct name of the molecule with the skeletal formula shown 

         below?

                       

    A . 1,2, 2-trimethylbutan-3-ol
    B. 2-ethyl-2-methylbutan-2-ol
    C. 3,3-dimethylpentan-2-ol

    D. 4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethylpentane

    2. Compound X, C4H8O2, has an unbranched carbon chain. An aqueous 
    solution of X has an approximate pH of 3. Compound Y, C3H8O, is a 
    secondary alcohol. X and Y are reacted together in the presence of 
    a little concentrated sulphuric acid to form Z as the major organic 

    product.

        What is the structural formula of Z?

                 

    3. The ester CH3CH2CH2CO2CH2CH (CH3)2 was hydrolyzed under 
         acidic conditions.
         What are the organic products of this hydrolysis?
    A. butanoic acid and 2-methylpropan-1-ol
    B. butanoic acid and 2-methylpropan-2-ol
    C. butan-1-ol and 2-methylpropanoic acid
    D. propanoic acid and 2-methylpropan-1-ol

    4. An unknown organic compound reacts with sodium to give a 
         combustible gas as one product but does not give a yellow precipitate 
         with alkaline aqueous iodine. What is a possible identity of the 
          unknown organic compound?
    A. Propanol
    B. Propan-1-ol

    C. propan-2-ol

    II. Open questions

    5. A compound A   is found to be soluble in sulphuric acid, A doesn’t react 
        with sodium or potassium permanganate. When A is heated with hydroiodic 
       acid, it is converted into single alkyl iodide suggest the structure of A

    6. An organic compound Y possesses the centesimal composition by mass 
       of 87.6% carbon and the rest is hydrogen. The molecular mass of it is 56 g/ 
      mol. Water molecule in presence of sulphuric acid was added to the same 
      molecule to produce M, the molecule M was subjected to sulphuric acid and 
      the temperatures of 140 °C, and produce N. Y possess many isomers including 
    cycles molecules. 

    Establish the structure of Y, and all isomers, M and all isomers and N. Show the 
    mechanism where is possible.

    7. An organic liquid M contains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. When 0.25 g of M
         is combusted, 0.592g of carbon dioxide and 0.30 g of water was formed 
    a. i. calculate the empirical formula 
        ii. Molecular formula if the molecular mass is 74 g/mol
    b. Write the structural formula and name of all isomers of M
    c. M gives a yellow precipitate with solution of iodine in sodium hydroxide

     i. Identify
    ii. Describe briefly how the functional group in M may be determined 
    iii. Give a reaction scheme of how M can be converted into but-2-yne 

    8. Compare and contrast the preparation of ethanol by hydration of ethanol and 
        by fermentation by putting an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages 

        of each process.

  • UNIT 6: CARBONYL COMPOUNDS: ALDEHYDES AND KETONES

                Key unit competency

    To be able to compare the chemical nature of carbonyl compounds to their 

    reactivity and uses. 

     Learning objectives

    • Describe the reactivity of carbonyl compounds
    • State the physical properties of aldehydes and ketones
    • Describe the preparation reactions of ketones and aldehydes
    • Explain the mechanism of nucleophilic addition reactions of carbonyl 
      compounds
    • Prepare ketones from secondary alcohols by oxidation reactions
    • Compare aldehydes and ketones by using Fehling’s solution and Tollens’ 
      reagent
    • Write and name carbonyl compounds and isomers of ketones and aldehydes
    • Write equations for the reactions of carbonyl compounds with other 
      substances
    • Compare the physical properties of carbonyl compounds to those of alcohols 
       and alkenes
    • Differentiate the methyl ketones from other ketones by using the iodoform 
       test
    • Carry out an experiment to distinguish between carbonyl compounds and 
       other organic compounds
    • Carry out an experiment to distinguish between ketones and aldehydes

    • Carry out an experiment to prepare ethanol and propan-2-one.

    6.1. Definition and nomenclature of carbonyl compounds

       Introductory activity 

    Many fruits such as mangoes and honey contained sugar. The following images 

    represent mangoes, honey and some sugars such as fructose and glucose. 

                    

    1. State the functional groups found in fructose and glucose.
    2. Enumerate other foods that contain sugars 
    3. Describe the similarity and difference between the two sugars in term of 

        structure formulae. 

    6.1.1 Definition

         Activity 6.1

    Observe the following molecules and answer to the questions.

                 

    1. Categorize the above molecules

          4. What criteria have you used to categorize?
          5. Name those categories 

          6. Name individual molecules 

    Carbonyl compounds are compounds that contain carbon-oxygen double bond 
    (C=O). Carbonyl compounds are classified into two general categories based on the 
    kinds of chemistry they undergo. In one category there are aldehydes and ketones; 
    in the other category there are carboxylic acids and their derivatives. This unit looks 

    on category of aldehydes and ketones.

    Aldehyde molecules 

    For aldehydes, the carbonyl group is attached to hydrogen atom and alkyl group as 
    shown in the molecule of propanal below. Methanal is the smallest aldehyde, it has 

    two hydrogen atoms attached to carbonyl group.

                       

    If you are going to write this in a condensed form, you write aldehyde as –CHO, 

    don’t write it as -COH, because that looks like an alcohol functional group.

    Ketone molecules

    Ketone has two alkyl groups attached to the carbonyl group. Examples:

                     

    6.1.2 Nomenclature
           Aldehydes
    The systematic name of an aldehyde is obtained by replacing the terminal “e” from 
     the name of the parent hydrocarbon with “al.” In numbering the carbon chain of an 

    aldehyde, the carbonyl carbon is numbered one.

                    

    Ketones

    The systematic name of a ketone is obtained by removing the terminal“e” from the 
    name of the parent hydrocarbon and adding “one.”The chain is numbered in the 
    direction that gives the carbonyl carbon the smallest number.Ketone contains 
    a carbon-oxygen double bond just like aldehyde, but for ketone carbonyl groupis 

    bonded to two alkyl groups.

               

          

    Checking up 6.1

    7. For each of the following structures, justify whether it is an aldehyde or 

        a ketone, and name each.

                

     2. Draw the structural formulas derived from the following names. 

          i. Hexan-3-one 
         ii. Pentan-2-one

        iii. 2-methylpropanal

      6.2. Isomerism

            Activity 6.2

       Look at the molecules below and answer the following questions.

                     

       4. Write molecular formula of A and
       5. Compare the molecular formulae of A and B
       6. State a term that can be used to describe relationship between 
          molecules A and B.

      7. Write down other three different examples which are related as A and B.

          6.2.1 Functional isomerism in aldehydes and ketones  

    Isomers are molecules that have the same molecular formula, but have a different 
    arrangement of the atoms in space. Functional group isomers are molecules that 
    have same molecular formula but contain different functional groups, and they 

    belong to different homologous series of compounds.

    Example1;  structural formulae of this molecular formula can be either 

    propanal or propanone, aldehyde or ketone.

                       

                 

    You could draw others possible structural formula of 

    that have alkene and alcohol functional groups.

                 

         6.2.2. Position isomerism in ketones 

    Position isomerism is isomerism where carbon skeleton remains constant, but the 

    functional group takes different positions on carbon skeleton.

                 

         6.2.3. Chain isomerism in aldehydes and ketones

    In chain isomerism the same number of carbons forms different skeletons. Aldehydes 
    with 4 or more carbon atoms and ketones with five or more carbon atoms show 

    chain isomerism. 

                  

     Checking up 6.2

    Draw as many as possible all the structural isomers of 

    6.3. Physical properties of aldehydes and ketones

      Activity 6.3

    • Take 50 ml for each substance: ethanal, butanal and propanone.
    • Mix ethanal with 50ml of water in beaker 
    • Mix butanal with 50ml of water in beaker 
    • Mix propanal with 50ml of water in beaker 
    viii. Compare the solubility of ethanal, butanal and propanone in water.
    ix. State intermolecular forces present in each substances 
    x. Explain what happen in term of intermolecular forces during mixing 
         those above substances with water.
    xi. Explain why some substances have high solubility in water than other.
    xii. how the intermolecular forces present in ethanal, butanal and 
          propanone affect other physical properties like boiling and melting 

           point of these substances.

    6.3.1. Solubility in water aldehydes and ketones

    The small molecules of aldehydes and ketones are soluble in water but solubility 
    decreases with increase of carbon chain. Methanal, ethanal and propanone - the 
    common small aldehydes and ketones are soluble in water at all proportions.
    Even though aldehydes and ketones don’t form hydrogen bond with themselves, 

    they can form hydrogen bond with water molecules.

                             

    The slightly positive hydrogen atoms in a water molecule can be sufficiently attracted 
    to the lone pair on the oxygen atom of an aldehyde or ketone to form a hydrogen 
    bond.

    Other intermolecular forces present between the molecules of aldehyde or ketone 
    and the water are dispersion forces and dipole-dipole attractions.
     

    Forming these attractions releases energy which helps to supply the energy needed 
    to separate the water molecules and aldehyde or ketone molecules from each other 
    before they can mix together.

    Apart from the carbonyl group, hydrocarbon chains are non polar, they don’t dissolve 
    in water. By forcing hydrocarbon chain to mix with water molecules, they break the 
    relatively strong hydrogen bonds between water molecules without replacing them 
    by other attractions good like hydrogen bonds. This makes the process energetically 

    less profitable, and so solubility decrease.

    6.3.2. Boiling points of aldehydes and the ketones

    Methanal is a gas and has a boiling point of 
    and ethanal has a boiling point of The other aldehydes and ketones
    are liquids or solids, with boiling points rising with rising of molecular mass
     hence rising of strength of Van der Waals force. 

    Comparing the physical properties of carbonyl compounds to those of alcohols 

    and alkanes.

    Physical properties of covalent compounds depend on intermolecular forces. 
    Compounds that have similar molecular mass but different intermolecular forces 

    have different physical properties.

    Example of comparison between molecules of similar mass but different 

    compositions.

                

    Alcohols have higher boiling point than aldehydes and ketones of similar lengths. In 
    the alcohol, there is hydrogen bonding, but the molecules of aldehydes and ketones 
    don’t form hydrogen bonds.Aldehydes and ketones are polar molecules but alkanes 

    are non polar molecules.

    Checking up 6.3

    The Table below shows the boiling points of an alkane, an aldehyde and an 

    alcohol.

                    

    m. Explain why the boiling point of an aldehyde is greater than that of the 
          alkane?
    n. Why is the boiling point of the alcohol still higher?
    o. Explain why, unlike the similar-sized alkanes, the small aldehydes and 
          ketones are soluble in water.

    p. Describe the solubility variation of aldehydes and ketones.

    6.4. Chemical properties of carbonyl compounds 

    6.4.1. Nucleophilic addition reactions

           Activity 6.4.1

    • KCN is a reagent used to add HCN to carbonyl compounds. 
       Write equation that show how KCN dissociates in polar solvent 
    • Observe carefully the following carbonyl functional group and answer the 

       following questions.

                     

    a. Polarity of carbonyl group

    by comparing carbon-carbon double bond and carbon- oxygen double bond 
    the only difference between bonds C=C and C=O is distribution of electrons. The 
    distribution of electrons in the pi bond is heavily attracted towards the oxygen atom, 

    because oxygen atom is much more electronegative than carbon.

                                    

    During chemical reactions nucleophiles will attack carbon of the carbonyl functional 
    group which bears apartial positive charge. While electrophile will attack oxygen of 

    the carbonyl functional group which bears a partial negative charge.

    b. Reaction of HCN with aldehydes and ketones

         

    Because hydrogen cyanide is a toxic gas, the best way to carry out this reaction is to 
    generate hydrogen cyanide during the reaction by adding HCl to a mixture of the 
    aldehyde or ketone and excess sodium cyanide. Excess sodium cyanide is used in 
    order to make sure that some cyanide ion is available to act as a nucleophile. The 
    solution will contain hydrogen cyanide (from the reaction between the sodium or 
    potassium cyanide and the HCl)

    The pH of the solution is maintained in range 4 - 5, because this gives the fastest 

    reaction. The reaction takes place at room temperature.

    c. The mechanism of reaction between HCN and propanone
    1st Step: A nucleophilic, CN-, attacks on the slightly positive charged carbon of 

    carbonyl group.

                    

    2ndStep: The negative ion formed picks up a hydrogen ion from hydrogen cyanide. 

    Water or the  ions  present in solution can serve as source of the hydrogen ion.

         

      These are examples of nucleophilic addition

                

    e. Reaction of  with aldehydes or ketones

    The aldehyde or ketone is shaken with a saturated solution of sodium hydrogen 
    sulphite in water. Hydrogen sulphite with negative charge act as nucleophile, 
    where the product formed is separated as white crystals. Propanone react hydrogen 

    sulphite, as below:

                

    Impure aldehyde and ketone can be purified by using this reaction. Impure 
    aldehyde or ketone is shaken with a saturated solution of sodium hydrogensulphite 
    to produce the crystals. Impurities don’t form crystals; these crystals formed are 
    filtered and washed to remove any impurities. Addition of dilute acid to filtered 
    crystals regenerates the original aldehyde. Dilute alkali also can be added instead 

    dilute acid. 

    Checking up 6.4.1

    Aldehydes and ketones undergo addition reactions involving hydrogen 
    cyanide in which H and CN add on the carbon-oxygen double bond.
    a. Why isn’t hydrogen cyanide itself normally used in these reactions?
    b. Give a mixture which can be used instead of starting with hydrogen 
         cyanide itself.
    c. Draw the structures and give the names of the products of the 
          reaction between hydrogen cyanide and
           i. (Ethanal
          ii. Propanone
    d. One use of the products of these reactions (known as hydroxy nitriles) 
        is as a part of a sequence of reactions to make more complicated 
        molecules like amino acids from more simple ones. The amino acid 

        valine has the structure:

                 

    i. Write the structure of the hydroxy nitrile which you would have to modify 
       in order to make valine
    ii. Write the structure of the aldehyde or ketone which you would have to 

         react with hydrogen cyanide in order to get that hydroxy nitrile

    6.4.2. Condensation reactions

    Activity.6.4.2

    You are provided with the following: propanal, propanone, alcohol (ethanol), 
    glucose solution and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (Brady reagent )

    Take about 2ml of each solution; propanal, propanone, alcohol (ethanol) and 
    glucose solution in test tubes. Add 6 drops of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine 
    to each of the test tubes containing: propanal, propanone, (alcohol)ethanol or 
    glucose solution. If no precipitate forms immediately, warm for 5 minutes in the 

    water bath. Record your observations in the table below.

                 

    a. Experimental reaction

    The procedure of the preparation of Brady’s reagent and carbonyl compounds 
    changesslightly depending on the nature of the aldehyde or ketone, and the solvent 
    in which 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine is dissolved in. The Brady’s reagent for activities 

    (6.4.1) is a solution of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in methanol and sulphuric acid.

    Add a few drops of Brady’s reagent to either aldehyde or ketone. A bright orange or 
    yellow precipitate indicates the presence of the carbonyl group in an aldehyde or 

    ketone. 

    b. Structural formula of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.

    The carbon of benzene attached to hydrazine is counted as number one.
    In 
    2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, there are two nitro groups,   
    ,attached to the phenyl group in the 2- and 4- positions.

                           

    2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine is often abbreviated as 2,4-DNP or 2,4-DNPH.

    c. The reaction of carbonyl compounds with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine
    Brady’s reagent is a solution of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in methanol 
    and sulphuric acid. The overall reaction of carbonyl compounds with 

    2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine is:

                             

    Where R and R’ represent alkyl groups or hydrogen(s); if both or only one is hydrogens 
    the starting carbonyl compound is an aldehyde. If both R and R’ are alkyl groups 
    the carbonyl compound is a ketone. The following molecule shows clearly how the 

    product is formed.

                        

    The product formed is named”2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone”. The simple difference 
    consists in replacing suffix “-ine” by “-one”.
    The reaction of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine with ethanal produces ethanal 
    2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone; The reaction of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine with 
    butanal produces butanal 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone. This is an example of 

    condensation reaction.

    During the chemical reaction, the change takes place only on nitrogen  of 
    hydrazine in 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. If the group is attached to other 

    groups a similar reaction as that of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine will take place:

               

                 

    • Phenylhydrazine reacts with carbonyl compound to form“phenylhydrazone”.

                     

    Checking up 6.4.2

    a. Brady’s reagent is a solution of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in a mixture 
        of methanol and sulphuric acid.
     i. How is Brady’s reagent used to test for an aldehyde or ketone?
    b. Draw the structural formulae for 
     ii. Propanone hydra zone 
     iii. Propanone phenylhydrazone

    6.4.3. Oxidation reactions using 

       Activity 6.4.3

       Materials:

    • Test tubes 
    • Test tubes holder 
    • Test tube racks
    • Count droppers
    • Beakers 
    You are provided with the following: propanal, propanone and potassium dichromate 
    (VI) solution acidified with dilute sulphuric acid.
    Take about 2ml of each solution; propanal and propanone; add 6 drops of the 
    potassiumdichromate(VI) solution acidified with dilute sulphuric acid.

    Record your observations in the table below.

         

        
    a. Difference in reactivity of ketones and aldehydes with 
        By considering the structural formulae of aldehydes and ketones, the difference is 
        only the presence of a hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl functional group in 

        the aldehyde whereas ketones have a alkyl group instead.

                     

        During chemical reaction aldehydes react with oxidizing agent; hydrogen on 
       carbonyl functional group is replaced by oxygen, look on figure below. The presence 
       of hydrogen atom makes aldehydes very easy to oxidize, in other words aldehydes 

       are strong reducing agents.

    For ketone, absence of hydrogen on carbonyl functional group makes ketones to 
    resist oxidation. But very strong oxidising agents like potassium permanganate 
    solution oxidize ketones - and they do it in a destructive way, by breaking carbon bonds.

    Aldehyde oxidation can take place in acidic or alkaline solutions. Under acidic 
    solutions, the aldehyde is oxidized to a carboxylic acid. Under alkaline solutions, acid 

    formed react with base to form a salt of carboxylic acid. 

    Add few drops of the aldehyde or ketone to a solution of potassium dichromate 
    (VI) acidified with dilute sulphuric acid. If the color doesn’t change in the cold, the 

    mixture is warmed gently in a beaker containing hot water.

                   

    b. Oxidation of aldehyde by solution

    Add few drops of the aldehyde or ketone to a solution of potassium dichromate 
    (VI) acidified with dilute sulphuric acid. If the color doesn’t change in the cold, the 

    mixture is warmed gently in a beaker containing hot water.

                

                

    Checking up 6.4.3

    1. If you react ethanal with acidified potassium dichromate (VI) solution, 
        what organic product would you get?
    2. Write a half-equation for the formation of that product from ethanal.
    3. iii.Write a half-equation for the dichromate(VI) ion acting as an oxidising 

        agent is

             

    Use this equation and the one you wrote in part (ii) to work out the ionic 

    equation for the reaction.

    6.4.4. Oxidation reactions using Tollens’ reagent

    Activity 6.4.4

    Materials:

    • Test tubes 
    • Test tubes holder 
    • Test tube racks
    • Count droppers
    • Beakers 
    • Bunsen burner 

    You are provided with the following: 
    • propanal, 
    • propanone 
    • Tollens’ reagent. 
    Take about 2ml of each solution; propanal and propanone. Add 6 drops of 
    the Tollens’ reagent to each of the following in the test tubes; propanal or 
    propanone. Warm gently the mixture in a hot water bath for a few minutes. 

    Record your observations in the table below. 

           

    a. Difference in reactivity of Ketones and Aldehydes with Tollens’ reagent

    Aldehydes can also be oxidized into carboxylic ions in basic medium.Tollens’ reagent 
    is a solution of diamminesilver (I) ion, .In order to identify if a 
    substance is aldehyde or ketone, add few drops of Tollens reagent to test tubes 
    containing aldehyde or ketone and warm gently in a hot water bath for a few 
    minutes. The formations of sliver mirror or grey precipitate is an indication of the 

    presence of aldehyde.

                

                   Refer to experimental student book:

                 

    Checking up 6.4.4

    1. Tollens’ reagent is alkaline because of the sodium hydroxide solution 
        and ammonia solution used to make it. What organic product would you 
        get in this case if you reacted propanal with Tollens’ reagent?
    2. Write half equation for the formation of that product from propanal. 
    3. Write the half-equation for the reaction of the   ion when it 
        forms the visible product of the reaction.

     Combine these two half-equations to give an ionic equation for the reaction of 

     Tollens’ reagent with ethanal.

    6.4.5. Oxidation reactions using Fehling ;or Benedict; solution

    Activity 6.4.5

    Materials:
    • Test tubes 
    • Test tubes holder 
    • Test tube racks
    • Count droppers
    • Beakers 
    • Bunsen burner 
    You are provided with the following: ethanal, propanone, Fehling’s solution and 
    Benedict’s solution.
     

    Take about 2ml of each solution. Add 6 drops of the Fehling’s solution 
    or Benedict’s solution to each of the tubes containing 2ml of ethanal or 
    propanone to be tested. Warm gently the mixture in a hot water bath for a few 

    minutes. Record your observations in the table below.

            

    a. Difference in reactivity of Ketones and Aldehydes with Fehling or Benedict 

         solution.

     Fehling’s solution and Benedict’s solution react with aldehyde in the same way;
    both 
    solutions contain  . In Fehling’s solution  is complexed with tartrate 
    ligand butin Benedict’s solution is complexed with citrate ligand.

    Don’t worry about ligands, important reagents are  ligands tartrate and 
    citrate are used to prevent formation of precipitate copper (II) hydroxide or copper 
    (II) carbonate.

    A few drops of Fehling’s solution or Benedict’s solution is added to the aldehyde or 

    ketone and the mixture is warmed gently in a hot water bath for a few minutes.

            

    Fehling’s solution and Benedict’s solution are oxidizing agent, they oxidize aldehydes 
    to carboxylic acid. Remember that reaction takes place in basic solutions, acid 
    formed is neutralized by base, and hence the products area salt of carboxylic acid 

    instead of carboxylic acid. Equations of reaction.

         

    Checking up 6.4.5

    Fehling’s solution and Benedict’s solution both contain copper (II) complexes 
    in an alkaline solution. The copper (II) complex can be simplified to  (in 

    complex), and the electron-half-equation given as


                 

    a. Write the electron-half-equation for the oxidation of propanal in an 
        alkaline solution.
    b. Combine this with the equation above to give the ionic equation for the 

        reaction between Fehling’s or Benedict’s solution with propanal

    6.4.6. Iodoform reaction with aldehydes and ketones

    Activity 6.4.6
    Materials:
    • Test tubes 
    • Test tubes holder 
    • Test tube racks
    • Count droppers
    • Beakers 
    • Bunsen burner 
    You are provided with the following: propanone, propanal, 6M NaOH solution 
    and  solution
    Put 4 drops of each tested substances, propanone, propanal, into different test 
    tubes. 
    Add to this 0.5 mL distilled water to each test tube. 

    Add 0.25mL 6M NaOH and 0.25 mL of water to each test tube.

    Add 6 drops of - solution to each test tube.
    If no precipitate forms immediately, warm the mixture very gently.

    Record your observations in the table below. 

               

    a. Reagents for iodoform reaction 

    There are two different mixtures that can be used to do iodoform test, these 
    mixture are:
    • Iodine and sodium hydroxide solution
    • Potassium iodide and sodium chlorate (I) solutions

    Don’t worry about Potassium iodide and sodium chlorate(I) solutions, Potassium 
    iodide and sodium chlorate(I) react to form final solution 
    .Both mixtures contain the same reagents. 

    Each of these mixtures contains important reagent  which react
    with 
    aldehyde or ketone. When  is added to a carbonyl compound
    containing 
    the group (blue in the cycle) as shown below, pale yellow precipitate 

    (triiodomethane) is formed.

                           

    a. Description of iodoform test

    For iodine and sodium hydroxide solution
    Iodine solution, is added to aldehyde or ketone, followed by just enough sodium 

    hydroxide solution to remove the colour of the iodine. If pale yellow precipitate 

    doesn’t form in the cold, it may be necessary to warm the mixture very gently.
    The positive result is pale yellow precipitate of   

    For potassium iodide and sodium chlorate (I) solutions
    Potassium iodide solution is added to a small amount of aldehyde or ketone, followed 
    by sodium chlorate (I) solution. If pale yellow precipitate doesn’t form in the cold, 

    warm the mixture very gently. The positive result is pale yellow precipitate of 

    Reaction of iodoform test

    The reagents of iodoform test are  and OH solution. The reaction takes place into 
    two main steps: 
    • Three hydroxides, OH-, remove three hydrogens from methyl group and the 

    place of hydrogen is taken by iodide

                   

    group is a good leaving group; is replaced by OH-to form carboxylic 
    acid, because is a base according to Bronsted-Lowry, it reacts with acid to 

    form the following product:

             

     The overall equation for reaction of iodoform test:

           

    The same reaction takes place for other halogen elements in the same way.
    Refer to experimental student book.
         

                 

    When methyl ketones or methyl aldehyde, ethanal, are treated with the halogen 
    element in basic solution, hydrogens of the methyl group are replaced by halogen 
    element followed by cleavage of the methyl group. The products are the salt of 
    carboxylic acid and trihalomethane. The reaction is fast until the 3 hydrogens at the 

    methyl group have been replaced by a halogen.

    Checking up 6.4.6

    A has the formula   Its oxidation gives B with the formula  
    B reacts with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine to give a positive test. A is dehydrated by 
    concentrated . Reductive of C gives butanal.

     Identify the compound A

    6.5. Preparation methods of aldehydes and ketones

    6.5.1. Oxidation of alcohols

    Activity 6.5.1

    The set up below represents the method of preparation of ethanal from ethanol. 

    Look it carefully and answer the following questions.

                     

    Ethanol reacts with  does ethanol undergoes oxidation or 
    reduction in this reaction?
     
    3. Write down chemical equation that takes place in this experiment
    4. Explain why it is necessary to heat and explain the point of choosing 
         temperature at which reaction takes place. 

    5. Write a balanced equation of the reaction between propan-2-ol and 

    a. alcohol by 

    Pdichromate (VI) ions is reduced to chromium (III) ions, Cr3+ which is green.otassium dichromate (VI) acidified with dilute sulphuric acid is used as oxidizing 
    agent during the preparation of aldehyde or ketone. Primary alcohol is oxidized to 
    aldehyde, oxygen atom from the oxidising agent removes two hydrogens; one from 
    the -OH group of the alcohol and the other hydrogen comes from the carbon that is 

    attached to hydroxide functional group.

    • Primary alcohol undergoes oxidation to produce aldehyde

          

             • Secondary alcohol undergoes oxidation to produce ketone

                  

    Tertiary alcohol doesn’t undergo oxidation because the carbon bonded to 

        hydroxide doesn’t have hydrogen to be removed.

                   

    The solution of dichromate (VI) ions,, is orange, during chemical reaction

     dichromate (VI) ions is reduced to chromium (III) ions,  which is green.

            

    b. Technique of stopping oxidation of aldehyde

     The aldehyde produced by oxidation of alcohol could make further oxidation to a 
    carboxylic acid if the acidified potassium dichromate (VI) is still present in solution 
    where reaction takes place. In order to prevent this further oxidation of aldehyde to 
    carboxylic the following technique are used. 

    • Use an excess of the alcohol than potassium dichromate (VI). Potassium 
    dichromate (VI) is limiting reactant hence there isn’t enough oxidising agent 
    present to carry out the second stage of oxidizing the aldehyde formed to a 
    carboxylic acid.

    • Distil off the aldehyde as soon as it forms. Removing the aldehyde as soon as it 
    is formed this means that aldehyde is removed from solution where oxidizing 
    agent is, to prevent further oxidation. Ethanol produces ethanal as shown by 

    the following reaction.

            

      To simplify the writing of the reaction, [O] represents oxygen from an oxidising 

       agent. Then the reaction is written as follows:      

            

    1. If you want to oxidize ethanol to ethanal without further oxidation to 
       ethanoic acid, how do you proceed?
    2. Which oxidising agent is used to oxidize alcohols to either aldehydes or 

         ketones, and what would you observe during the reaction?

    Checking up 6.5

    1. Draw the structure of the aldehyde or ketone that would be formed 
    if each of the following alcohols is oxidised. You can assume that 
    conditions are fulfilled to avoid further oxidation of the aldehyde to a 

    carboxylic acid.

                 

    2. Draw the structure of the alcohol you would oxidize in order to obtain 
    each of the following compounds.
    i. pentan-2-one

    ii. Butanal

    c. Oxidation of alkene by 

    Oxidation of alkenes with hot concentrated acidified potassium manganate (VII) 
    solution produces carbonyl compounds. Consider the general formula of alkene 

    below:

                          

    Where  represent alkyl groups or hydrogen atoms
    Carbon-carbon double bond of alkene is broken by acidified potassium manganate 
    (VII) and is replaced by two carbon-oxygen double bonds to each carbon from 

    double bond. General equation: 

                     

                 

    If acidified potassium manganate (VII) is still present in solution, aldehyde makes 

    further oxidation to carboxylic acid.

                 

           

    Methanoic acid has hydrogen attached on carbonyl group hence it makes further 

    oxidation to carbon dioxide. Final equation is written as below:

        

    6.5.2. Preparation of ketone by distillation of calcium acetate

              

    Procedure: Transfer 15g of calcium acetate in 50ml round bottom flask fixed on 
    a stand, and place it on a heating mantle fitted with a condenser and a receiver 
    flask. Adjust the temperature until the condensation starts. Use the aluminium 
    foil to insulate the flask. Heat the flask and collect the acetone in receiver flask. The 
    obtained product is a crude acetone and needs to be purified. Set up a distillation 
    apparatus and distil the crude product to obtain pure acetone  Do not forget 
    to use stirrer bar which must be placed in the round bottom flask containing the 

    acetone.

                      

    6.6. Uses of aldehydes and ketones

    Aldehydes and ketones have many uses for example in industries such as 

    pharmaceutical industry and in medicine.

    a. Formaldehyde: 

    Formaldehyde is a gas at room temperature but is sold as a 37 percent solution in water.
    Formaldehyde is used as preservative and germicide, fungicide, and insecticide 
    for plants and vegetables. Formaldehyde is mainly used in production of certain 
    polymers like Bakelite (Figure 6.1). Bakelite and formaldehyde is used as 

    monomers in production of Bakelite.

                  

    b. Acetone as solvent:
    Acetone  is soluble in water at all proportions and also dissolves in many organic 
    compounds. Boiling point of acetone is low, 56 °C, which makes it easier to be removed by 
    evaporation. Acetone is an industrial solvent that is used in products such as paints, 
    varnishes, resins, coatings, and nail polish removers. 

    c. Aldehydes and ketones
    Organic molecules that contain ketones or aldehydes functional group are found in 
    different foods such as irish potatoes, yellow bananas. 

    Aldehydes and ketones perform essential functions in humans and other living organisms.
     For 
    examples sugars, starch, and cellulose, which are formed from simple molecules that
    have aldehyde or ketone functional group.

    d. Aldehydes and ketones in human’s body
                   

    Aldehydes and ketones functional group are found in humans hormones like 

    progesterone, testosterone. 

    6.7. End Unit Assessment 

     1. An aliphatic aldehyde A has the formula RCHO.
    a. A reacts with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Explain what happens and 
        name the type of reaction. 

     Say how the product of reaction could be used to identify A

    b. When A is treated with warm, acidified  solution, B is formed. 
    Give the structural formula of B.
    c. When A is treated with lithium tetrahydridoaluminate (reducing agent) 
    in ethoxyethane solution C is formed. Give the structural formula of C. 

    d. A is warmed gently with ammoniacal silver nitrate. Explain what 
        happens, and say what is observed. 
    e. B and C react to form D. Write the structural formula of D.
    f. From the compounds A, B, C, and D, which would you predict to 
       possess:
    i. Highest boiling point 

    ii. Lowest boiling point

    2. Three compounds E, F, and G all have the molecular formula 

          E is an alcohol, F is ketone and G is aldehyde.

    i. Draw all possible structural formulae for E, F, and G
    ii. Describe tests (reagents, conditions and observations with each 
    compound) that would allow you to show that. 
    3. E is an alcohol whereas F and G aren’t 
    4. F and G are carbonyl compounds whereas E isn’t
    5. G is aldehyde, whereas E and F aren’t. 
    6. Write balanced equations for all reactions that occur.
    a. One of the compounds responsible for the flavor of butter is butan-2,3-
        dione.
    i. Give the structural formula of butan-2,3-dione.
       Give the structural formula of the organic products formed when butan-2,3-

       dione reacts with 

                

    3. Carbonyl compounds X undergoes the following reactions 

    X gives an orange precipitate with 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.

    X gives pale yellow precipitate with mixture of potassium iodide and sodium 

    iodate (I) X Doesn’t react with warm acidified  solution.

    X doesn’t react with aqueous bromine.
    X is reduced by hydrogen in the presence of catalyst to a mixture of isomers
    Y and Z of formula  Identify X, and give the structural formulae of X, Y

    and Z.

    4. P has the formula . It forms a compound by reaction with hydrogen 
       cyanide which has the formula . P gives a positive iodoform test, a 
       silver mirror with Tollens’ reagent and can be reduced to pentane. What is P?

    5. a. The carbon-oxygen double bond present in aldehydes and ketones is very 
             polar. What does this mean and how does it arise?
       b. The carbon-oxygen double bond is readily attacked by nucleophiles like 
        cyanide ions or ammonia.

    i. What do you understand by the term nucleophile?
    ii. Which part of the carbon-oxygen double bond is attractive to 
       nucleophiles?

    6. Warfarin is an oral anticoagulant, a drug that inhibits the clotting of blood. 
    It prevents the formation of blood clots by reducing the production of factors 
    by the liver that promote clotting, factors II, VII, IX, and X, and the anticoagulant 

    proteins C and S. The structural formula of Warfarin is:

                        

          a. Name any three different functional groups present in the Warfarin 

               molecule.

          

  • UNIT 8: ESTERS, ACID ANHYDRIDES, AMIDES AND NITRILES.

             Key unit competency:

    To be able to relate the functional groups of esters, acid anhydrides,
    amides and 
    nitriles to their reactivity, preparation methods and uses. 
    • Describe the chemical properties of esters, acid anhydrides, amides, and 
       nitriles. 
    • Describe the process of urea manufacture and its uses. 

    • Describe the formation of the detergents.

    Apply IUPAC rules to name esters, acid anhydrides, amides, and nitriles.

    • Compare the physical properties of esters to those of alcohols and carboxylic 
       acids. 
    • Make a soap and compare its properties with those of soapless detergents. 
    • Compare the reactivity of acid anhydrides with those of acyl chlorides. 
    • Prepare aspirin from appropriate reagents.
    • Appreciate the importance of esters, acid anhydrides, amides and nitriles in 

       textile industry and pharmacy. 

        Introductory activity

    The development of organic chemistry has led scientists to the production of 
    new substances and materials that are necessary in our everyday life which 
    could not be provided by our natural environment. Others were produced to 
    satisfy the high demand of consumers which cannot be assured by natural 
    products only. Analyze the items presented below and answer the questions 

    listed down.

                   

    1. What kind of textile is used to make umbrellas? How did scientists make 

        this kind of textiles? 

    2. One of the substances used to improve soil fertility so as to ensure food 
        security is urea? How is it synthesized?
    3. Why is it possible to make artificial drinks with flavors of natural fruits?
    4. How are pain killer drugs manufactured?

    5. What kinds of substances provide perfumes with their fragrances? 

    8.1. Structure and nomenclature of esters

          Activity 8.1

    3. The compounds listed below contain acid derivatives and other organic 

          molecules. Classify them in the following table. 

                                 

        2.Draw all possible isomers with molecular formula   and label esters 

            with letter A and acids with letter B. 

          8.1.1. Structure of esters

    In unit 7, the reactions of carboxylic acids were discussed. The reactions of carboxylic 
    acids produce the derivatives of acids such as esters, acid halides, acid anhydrides 

    and amides.

    The general molecular formula of esters is  and their general structural 

      formula is: RCOOR’ or

                                          

    Where R may be a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group and R may be an alkyl group 
    or an aryl group but not a hydrogen atom. In case that R is the hydrogen atom, the 
    compound is no longer an ester but it is a carboxylic acid.
    The following Figures, 8.1 and 8.2 show models for two common esters where green 
    spheres = Hydrogen atoms, red spheres = oxygen atoms; blue spheres = carbon 

    atoms.

                           

    The functional group of esters is 

    Esters are compounds produced by the reaction involving an acid and an alcohol 

    with the elimination of water molecule.

    For example, the reaction between acetic acid and ethanol yields an ester 

    with water.

                  

    Esters are known for their distinctive odor and they are commonly responsible for 
    the characteristic of food (fruits) aroma, flowers and fragrances. Esters are found in 
    nature but they can be also synthesized. Both natural and synthetic esters are used 

    in perfumes and as flavoring agents.

    8.1.2. Nomenclature of esters

    The nomenclature of esters follows some steps. When naming esters the alkyl 
    group R’ is named followed by the name of RCOO- group. 
    The group name of the alkyl or aryl portion is written first and is followed by the 
    name of the acid portion. In both common and International Union of Pure and 
    Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) nomenclature, the -ic ending of the corresponding acid 
    is replaced by the suffix –ate. Some examples of names of esters are given in Table 

    8.1.

            Examples:

            

             Table 8.1. Examples of structural formulae of some esters and their name

       8.1.3. Physical properties and uses of Esters

           Experiment 

    A. Analyzing the solubility of esters ( fats and oils)
    Materials and Chemicals

    Cooking oil, margarine, water, ethanol, stirring rods and test tubes labeled A 
    and B. 

    Procedure
    1. Pour water in a test tube A and ethanol in test tube B and add some 
        cooking oil in each test tube. Shake well to mix and record your 
        observation.
    2. Pour water in a test tube A and ethanol in test tube B and add a small 
        piece of margarine in each test tube. Use a stirring rod to mix and record 
        your observation. 

    Conclusion: Esters are soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol and insoluble 

    in water.

    B. Comparing boiling points of alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters

          Materials and Chemicals

           Propan-1-ol, propanoic acid and methyl ethanoate, test tubes, test tube holders 

           (lacks), heaters, and thermometers.

    Procedure

    1. Put 10 mL of each substance in a labeled test tube.
    2. Boil carefully substances are volatile and flammable
    3. Use a thermometer to measure the boiling point of each substance.
    4. Record the results and compare them. Suggest a reason for the difference 
        in boiling points of the three substances.

    Conclusion: Esters have lower boiling points than alcohols and carboxylic 
    acids because they lack hydrogen bonds. A compound having hydrogen bonds 
    has a high boiling point because, to break that bond requires higher energy. 

    Other physical properties of esters
    i. Lower esters have sweet fruity smells
    ii. Melting and boiling points of esters increase as the molecular mass 
        increases. 
    iii. Small esters are fairly soluble in water but the solubility decreases as the 
          length of the chain increases 

    8.1.4. Uses of Esters
    Esters find various uses:
    i. They are used as organic solvent
    ii. Due to their aroma, they are used as constituent of fragrance, essential oils, 
         food flavoring and cosmetics.
    iii. They are used to manufacture soaps, detergents and glycerol. 
    iv. They are used to provide energy in the body

    v. Polyesters are used to produce plastics etc

    Checking up 8.1

    1. Name the following compounds by using the common and IUPAC 

         names.

                  

    2. Draw the structural formulae corresponding to each of the following 
          names.
    i. Propyl methanoate 
    ii. octyl ethanoate
    3. Discuss the solubility of esters 
    4.State one industrial and one biological use of esters. 
    5.Two compounds A and B of molecular formula  were analyzed 
        to compare their relative boiling points. Compound A had lower boiling 
        point than compound B. Draw the structural formula of each compound. 
    6.Identify the relationship that exists between compounds A and B. Explain 

        your reasoning.

    8.2. Preparation and chemical properties of esters

                  

    3. Using your research on internet and reading books, make a summary of 
        each of the following terms: 
    e. Reduction of esters 
    f. Hydrolysis of esters
    g. Alkaline hydrolysis of ester
    h. Trans-Esterification 
    i. Comparison of the reactivity of esters, acid chlorides and acid 
        anhydrides
    4.Give an example of an equation for each of the processes in (1).

     5. Express the technical name given to the process in 3 (c)

    8.2.1. Preparation of Esters
    The preparation of esters involves different types of reaction such as esterification, 
    reaction of an acid chloride with an alcohol and the reaction of acid anhydrides 
    with alcohols.

    1.Esterification reaction
    In units five and seven, it is mentioned that esters can be produced by a reaction 
    between alcohols and carboxylic acids in strong acidic medium acting as a catalyst. 
    The acid is commonly a concentrated sulphuric acid, under reflux (Figure 8.3). The 
    reaction is generally called “Esterification” (a condensation reaction which involves 
    the addition of the alcohol and acid molecules followed by an elimination of a 

    water molecule).

            

                          

    3. Reaction of acid anhydrides with alcohols ( Trans-esterification)
    Alcohols react with esters to undergo an exchange of the alkoxide segment. The 
    reaction is acid catalyzed and the used alcohol must be in excess. This is a very 

    common technique of producing new esters from available esters.

                          

                  

    Reaction mechanism

                          

              

              2. Reaction of an acid chloride with an alcohol

                   

                 

                 8.2.2. Chemical properties of esters

          Chemical properties of esters involve their reactivity with other compounds.

              a. Reduction of esters

    Compared to ketones and aldehydes, esters are relatively resistant to reduction.
    Esters are reduced by giving two alcohols,
    one from the acyl segment (RC=O) and one from the alkoxide segment (R-O) as 

    shown by the reaction below.

               

    When a less reactive reducing agent such as diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAH) is 
    used the acyl segment is converted into an aldehyde and the alkoxide group is still 
    converted into an alcohol. Exactly one equivalent of the hydride must be used, and 

    the reaction must be carried out at -78 °C

                     

    b. Hydrolysis of esters.
    The reaction of an ester with water is called hydrolysis. This reaction is very slow 

    unless catalyzed by a base or an acid.

                     

    Mechanism of basic hydrolysis ofeEsters

                   

    The base catalyzed hydrolysis reaction is called saponification (derived from Latin 
    word, “sapo”, which means soap). Soaps are sodium or potassium salts made by 
    hydrolyzing the vegetable oil which contain higher molecular weight esters in the 

    presence of sodium or potassium hydroxides.

                  

    c. Trans-esterification
    Alcohols react with esters to undergo an exchange of the alkoxide segment. The 
    reaction is acid catalyzed and the used alcohol must be in excess. This is a very 

    common way of producing new esters from readily available esters. 

            

              

              d. Reaction with amines: Aminolysis
    Esters react with ammonia, primary or secondary amines to produce amides. The 
    reaction is carried out at high temperature in basic medium. However, this reaction is 

    not often used because higher yields are normally obtained by using acyl chlorides.

            

                 

    e. Reaction with Grignard reagents

    Esters react with two equivalents of a Grignard reagent to form tertiary alcohols. This 
    reaction produces ketone intermediates which undergo a fast conversion into the 

    alcohol because of being more reactive than esters.

            

    Checking Up 8.2.

    1. Write a balanced equation for the reaction between propanoyl 
    chloride and butan-1-ol and name the product. 

    2. Investigate how to carry out the following conversions by using a 
       non-organic compounds other than the one cited. Use any inorganic 
         substances you need. 

    a. Propan-1-ol to propyl propanoate
    b. Ethanal to ethyl ethanoate 

    3. Ethanoic acid reacts with an alcohol of molecular formula C4H10O to 
    produce an ester which is optically active. 

    a. Identify the structure of the alcohol. 

    b. Sketch the structure of the ester formed.

    4. Complete the equations below:

           

    5. For a reaction to take place, some conditions may be required 
         depending on the type of reaction. Discuss the conditions to be used 

         in order to carry out the reaction 4.a.

    6. Reactions of amines with esters are not common 
         Explain briefly this statement.

    7. You are provided with ethyl ethanoate and asked to prepare isobutyl 
        ethanoate.

    Describe how you can proceed to prepare that compound. In your 
    explanations, include reagents, conditions and equation(s) for the reaction(s) 
    that take place. 

     You are allowed to use any other organic compound you need. 

    8.3. Saponification and Detergents

            

    Observe the above picture and answer the following questions

    1. Explain the properties that these products have which make them 
          suitable for their use as you have stated in (1).
    2. Explain how these products are manufactured?
    3. Propose the differences and similarities of these products? 
    4. Using NaOH and cooking oil, how can you prepare a solid soap in 

        laboratory? 

    Surfactants like soaps and detergents are important cleaning products which play 
    an essential role in our daily life. By safely and effectively removing soils, germs and 
    other contaminants, they help us to stay healthy, care for our homes and possessions, 
    and make our surroundings more pleasant.

    Soaps
    Soaps are water-soluble sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids. Soaps are made 
    from fats and oils, or their fatty acids, by reacting them with a strong alkali. The 
    process is known as “saponification”.

    Fats and oils
    The fats (solid lipids at room temperature and pressure) and oils (liquid lipids at 
    room temperature and pressure) used to produce soaps find their sources from 
    animal or plant. Each fat or oil is made up of a distinctive mixture of several different 
    triglycerides.

    In the formation of a triglyceride molecule, three fatty acid molecules reacted with 

    one molecule of propane-1,2,3-triol or glycerol as shown in Figure 8. 4 below. 

               

                

                Saponification reaction

    The reaction of saponification involves the collision between triglycerides in fat/oil 

    and aqueous NaOH or KOH. The result is the formation of soap and glycerol (Figure 8.5).

                

                       

    The reaction of saponification is exothermic because there is liberation of heat and 
    the soap formed remains in suspension form in the mixture. Soap is precipitated as 

    a solid from the suspension by adding common salt to the suspension. 

                

    Note: Sodium soaps are “hard” soaps whereas potassium soaps are soft.

    DETERGENTS

    Detergents are organic liquid or water-soluble solid cleaning substances that, unlike 
    soap, are not prepared from fats and oils. 

    The chemical composition of detergents is different from that of soaps but they 
    have the same cleaning mechanism and are not adversely affected by hard minerals 
    in the water and this makes them more effective than soaps. However, they are less 
    environmental friendly because of a reduced biodegradability.

    Detergents may be used for household cleaning, laundry or for body and hand 
    washing. They exist in the powder or liquid form.

    How do soaps and detergents work?
    When a soap or detergent is added to water, a polar solvent, the molecules form 
    clusters, known as micelles(Figure 8.6), in which the polar ends of the molecules are 

    on the outside of the cluster and the non-polar ends are in the middle.

             

    The carboxylate end of the soap molecule is attracted to water. It is called the 
    hydrophilic (water-loving) end. The hydrocarbon chain is attracted to oil and grease 
    and repelled by water. It is known as the hydrophobic (water-hating) end. When 
    washing, the hydrophobic part of the soap molecule (Figure 8.7) dissolves oil or 
    grease the main source of dirt and it gets washed away by water as it is insoluble in 

    it. 

    The other major soap-making process is the neutralization of pure fatty acids with 

    an alkali.

           

    The cleaning property of both soaps and detergents results from their capacity 
    to emulsify water-insoluble materials (dirt, oil, grease, etc.) and hold them in 
    suspension in water. This ability originates from the molecular structure of soaps 
    and detergents. When a soap or detergent adds on to water that contains oil or 
    other water-insoluble materials, the soap or detergent molecules surround the oil 
    droplets. The oil or grease is “dissolved” in the alkyl groups of the soap molecules 
    while the ionic end allows the micelle to dissolve in water. As a result, the oil droplets 
    are dispersed throughout the water (this is referred to as emulsification) and can be 

    rinsed away.

                

                            Difference Between Soap and Detergent

                 

    Checking Up 8.3.

    1. Propyl tristearate reacts with sodium hydroxide to form soap.
    a. Write a balanced equation for the reaction which takes place.
    b. Calculate the mass of sodium hydroxide needed to react exactly with 
         4kg of this oil and the mass of the produced soap.

    2. Describe the chemical difference of solid and liquid soaps.
    3. Distinguish soaps from detergents.

    4. Why are detergents more effective than soaps?
    5. Describe briefly in your own words how soaps and detergents work.

    6. Discuss the importance of soaps and detergents in our everyday life.

    8.4. Structure and nomenclature of acid anhydrides

            

    One of the most used pain killers is aspirin. This is a medical drug which can be 
    prepared using salicylic acid and ethanoic acid. However, ethanoic acid is not 
    used. Instead, one of its derivatives is used. Search from internet or the school 
    library and answer the questions below:

    1. Propose a derivative of acetic acid is used in this preparation?
    2. Explain why is it used in preference to acetic acid?
    3. Write down its molecular formula and structure. 

    4. Suggest how it is produced from acetic acid.

    8.4.1. Structure of acid anhydrides

    The acid anhydrides are derivatives of carboxylic acids.
    The general structure of acid anhydrides is RCOOOCR, or
       When the two R groups are identical, the acid anhydride is symmetric and when the 

    two R groups are different, the acid anhydride is asymmetric. The general molecular 


    formula of acid anhydride is                          

    The functional group of acid anhydrides consists of two acyl groups held together 

    by an oxygen atom. 

                        

    When the two R groups are identical, the acid anhydride is symmetric and when the 
    two R groups are different, the acid anhydride is asymmetric. The general molecular 

    formula of acid anhydride is  

    8.4.2. Nomenclature of acid anhydrides

    The nomenclature of acid anhydride is based on whether they are symmetrical or 
    unsymmetrical. Symmetrical acid anhydrides are named as parent acid followed by 

    the term anhydride

                

                    

    Unsymmetrical acid anhydrides are named by writing alphabetically the names of 

    parent acids followed by the term anhydride. 

               

    Checking up 8.4.

    1. Write the molecular formula of an acid anhydride which has 6 carbon 
         atoms
    2. Draw the structure of one straight and one branched isomers of the 
        molecular formula in (1) above. 

    3. Name the isomers from (2).

    8.5. Preparation, chemical properties and uses of acid anhydrides

    Activity 8.5.

    1. Two carboxylic acids can react to form an acid anhydride and a water 
         molecule. However, this method is not suitable when preparing mixed 
        (unsymmetrical) acid anhydrides. 
    2. Suggest a reason why this method is not suitable. 
    3. Using your knowledge in organic chemistry so far, suggest a method 
         which may be suitable to prepare ethanoic propanoic anhydride. Write 
         the equation for the reaction. (Hint: you may refer to the preparation of 
         ethers). 
    4. Prepare ethanoic anhydride using ethanoic acid and phosphorous 
        pentoxide.
    5. Aspirin is synthesized using ethanoic anhydride and salicylic acid. Suggest 

        an equation for the reaction that occurs. 

    8.5.1. Preparation

    Anhydride means “without water”. Two carboxylic acids can react, eliminating a 

    water molecule to yield an acid anhydride.

         

    The commonly used dehydrating agent is phosphorous pentoxide, If two 
    different acids are used, a mixed anhydride is produced. The method is less efficient 
    however, as one obtains the two symmetrical anhydrides in addition to the desired 
    mixed anhydride. 

    A better method of making mixed anhydrides is to react an acid halide with a salt 

    of a carboxylic acid. This method can be used to make symmetrical anhydrides too.

              

    8.5.2. Chemical properties of acid anhydrides and their uses 

    The term “chemical properties” indicates the reactivity between two or more 
    compounds. In the case of acid anhydrides, their reactivity involves the electron                                                                             deficient carbonyl-carbon which is attacked by nucleophiles. This reaction occurs slowly.

    There are mainly four types of reactivity of acid anhydrides such as hydrolysis, reaction 
    with alcohols, reaction with ammonia and amines and the reduction reaction.

    1. Hydrolysis
    This reaction of acid anhydride in water leads to the formation of parent carboxylic 
    acids which were used to prepare the anhydride. The reaction is carried out in acidic 

    medium under reflux. 

                

                

    2. Reaction with alcohols 

    Anhydrides react readily with primary, secondary, tertiary alcohols to form esters 

    and carboxylic acid.

                   

    Aspirin synthesis is an application of this reaction

                      

    This reaction is very important in pharmaceutical industries and it indicates the 

    main use of acid anhydrides as it is the basis of aspirin manufacture as shown below.

                        

     3. Reaction with ammonia and amines

    Anhydrides react with ammonia, primary and secondary amines to produce 
    amides. 
    The reaction with amide: 

                
            
             
    Reaction with ammonia: (RCO)2 O + NH3 → RCONH2 + RCOOH

                
                
                 4. Reduction of acid anhydrides
    Anhydrides are reduced by Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate, 
    to yield two moles of primary alcohols. 

                
     Where R and R can be hydrogen atoms (for primary amides), alkyl groups (for 

    tertiary amides). For secondary amides only one R is a hydrogen atom. Their general 

    molecular formula is Cn


    H2n+1ON. Examples of some amides are given in the Table 8.2.

           


    8.5.3. Uses of acid anhydrides

    1. Ethanoic anhydride is used in the synthesis of acetate esters. 
    2. Examples: aspirin, cellulose acetate,…
    3. Maleic anhydride is used in the synthesis of various resins when 
        copolymerized with styrene.

    4. They are used to synthesize polyesters and polyamides.

    Checking up 8.5 

    1. Write the equations that can be used to synthesize the following acid 
    anhydrides from ethanol.
    a. Ethanoic anhydride 
    b. Propanoic anhydride 
    c. Ethanoic propanoic anhydride
    2. Students of senior five MCB were asked to prepare butanoic propanoic 
        anhydride and group A used a method similar to Williamson’s method of 
         synthesizing ethers whereas group B decided to use a dehydrating agent. 
         Which group chose a better method? Explain your reasoning

    3. Complete the equations below

           

    4. Propose the products from the reaction below:

         

    5.Draw the structures of products formed when propanoic anhydride reacts 
        with 2-methylpropan-2-ol
    6. State the necessary chemicals and conditions to prepare aspirin.
    7.Chemists prefer using acid anhydrides than acyl chlorides when preparing 

        esters. Discuss this statement. 

    8.6. Structure and nomenclature of amides

    Activity 8.6.

    In the previous unit, it has been mentioned that carboxylic acids react with 
    ammonia and amines to produce new organic compounds.
    1. Draw and name their functional group.
    2. Draw their general structure and determine their general molecular 
        formula. 
    3. What natural and artificial polymers contain the same functional group?
    4. Suggest how their boiling points would be relative to those of esters. 

    Provide an explanation for your suggestion. 

    8.6.1. Structure of amides

     Amides are acid derivatives in which the –OH group is replaced by  or
    . The functional group comprises nitrogen atom which is attached to the 
    carbonyl carbon atom. The carbonyl group linked to nitrogen atom is called an 

    amide linkage. The general structure of amides is:

                                 

    Where R and R can be hydrogen atoms (for primary amides), alkyl groups (for 
    tertiary amides). For secondary amides only one R is a hydrogen atom. Their general 
    molecular formula is       ON. Examples of some amides are given in the Table 8.2.

                          Table 8.2. Examples of some amides

                

    8.6.2. Nomenclature of amides

    The nomenclature of amides is derived from the name of corresponding acid. The 
    –oic acid suffix or –ic acid is replaced by –amide.
     

    As for other organic compounds, the first step is to consider the number of carbon 
    atoms forming the chain.

    The alkyl group bonded to nitrogen atom is indicated by a capital N preceding the 

    alkyl name. 

                  

    8.6.3. Physical properties and uses of amides

    Physical properties of amides
    Except formamide, all the amides are crystalline solids at room temperature. Amides 
    have higher melting and boiling points than corresponding esters due to hydrogen 

    bonding as shown below. 

                    

    The melting and boiling points increase as molecular mass increases. Lower members 
    are soluble in water but this solubility decreases as the molecular mass increases. All 
    the amides are soluble in organic solvents. The Table 8.3 shows the comparison of 

    melting and boiling points of some amides.

    Table 8.3. Some physical properties of lower amides

           

    8.6.4. Uses of Amides

    Amides are used in the production of many useful chemicals and materials such as 

    fertilizers (urea), nylon textiles and skin care substances. 

                  

    Urea manufacture
    Urea can be prepared in three ways:

    a. Reaction of phosgene and ammonia 

                    

    The diagram below shows the representation of Urea.

                   

    b. From calcium cyanamide,

    Calcium carbide reacts with nitrogen to produce calcium cyanamide and carbon. 
      produced is then treated with a mixture of water 

    and carbon dioxide to produce urea.

             

    c. Reaction of carbon dioxide and ammonia

                  

    Urea is also naturally present in animal urines.
    It is widely used in agriculture as a source of nitrogen, chemical fertilizer. It also finds 
    use in animal feeding and in resins manufacture. 

    Nylon manufacture
    Nylon-6,6 is a synthetic textile produced when hexane-1,6-dioic acid(adipic acid) 
    reacts with hexane-1,6-diamine. Nylon is a polyamide. Materials and clothes are 

    made from nylo-6,6.

                 

    Medical use of urea

    Urea containing creams are used in skin treatment to promote its rehydration. It softens the 

    skin. 

    Checking up 8.6.

    1. Write the molecular formula of amides with 4 carbon atoms
    2. Draw all possible structural formulae of primary, secondary and tertiary 
         amides with molecular formula in (1) above and name them
    3. Compare the solubilities of butanamide and N,N-dimethylethanamide 
         in water 
    4. The solubility of amides decreases with the increase in molecular mass. 
         Suggest a reason for this observation.
    5. Which one between ethanol and ethanamide do you expect to have a 
        higher boiling point? Explain your answer. 
    6. Discuss the benefits and dangers of using animal urine as a source of 

         nitrogen for plants.

    8.7. Preparation and chemical properties of amides

    Activity 8.7.

    1. Draw the structure of propanamide.
    2. Suggest how this compound can be prepared from propanoic acid. 
         Include an equation in your answer and state working conditions. 
    3. Draw the structure of ethanoyl chloride and write an equation for its 
        reaction with 
    4. Suggest other possible reactions that can be used to prepare amides in 
         general

    5. What reagents and conditions which can be used to reduce amides?

    8.7.1. Preparation of amides

    Amides can be prepared from all of the other acid derivatives when they react with 
    ammonia and primary or secondary amines. Their production of amides involves 

    the following reactions.

                   

                

     8.7.2. Chemical properties of amides

    The reactivity of amides involves different types of reaction to form various organic 

    compounds. 

    1. Reduction reaction

    Amides are reduced with sodium and ethyl alcohol or with lithium aluminium 

    hydride   to yield primary amines.

                 

              

    2. Hydrolysis

    Amides react with water in acidic medium (dilute) at high temperatures to form 

    acids.

            

              

             

    3. Hoffman degradation

    Amides react with a mixture of sodium hydroxide and bromine or sodium 
    hypobromite to produce amines. The reaction is called degradation as the carbon 

    chain is reduced by one carbon.

        

          

    This equation can be simplified as follows:

             

    Note: Hoffman degradation reaction is used to test the presence of the amide 
    functional group. When an amide is treated with sodium hypobromite, a 

    colorless gas which turns milky lime water is evolved, 

    4. Reaction with nitrous acid

    Amides react with nitrous acid to produce an acid, water and nitrogen gas.

           

             

    5. Dehydration reaction

    Dehydrating reagents, like thionyl chloride   remove one molecule of water 
    from amides to give nitriles. Phosphorous pentoxide can also be used. The reaction 

    is done under reflux.

           

            

            

    8.8. Structure and nomenclature of nitriles

    Activity 8. 8.

    In the previous lesson of this unit you learnt different reactions of amides. From 

    your knowledge and understanding, answer the questions that follow:

    1. Draw the structure of compound A:

                 

    2. To what homologous series does product A belong?
    3. Write the molecular formula of A.
    4. Suggest the general structure and the general molecular formula for all 
        compounds belonging to the same homologous series as A.
    5. At room temperature, these compounds are liquids or solids depending 
        on the molecular mass and yet they lack hydrogen bonding. Suggest a 

         brief explanation for this specialty. 

    8.8.1. Structure of nitriles

    Nitriles are organic compounds with the general structure is its 
    functional group. The nitrile compounds include a nitrogen atom attached to a 
    carbon atom by a triple covalent bond. Their general molecular formula is

    Unlike other acid derivatives they do not contain an acyl group.

    8.8.2. Nomenclature of nitriles

    The nitriles are named using the name of the alkane parent followed by the term 
    –nitrile. The carbon attached to the nitrogen atom is given the location position 

    number 1.

    Structure and name of some nitriles are shown in the Table 8.4.

                  

    8.8.3. Physical properties and uses of nitriles

    Physical properties

    The physical properties of nitriles are summarized below.
    1. The nitrile compounds are present as colorless solids and liquids having a 
        characteristic odor.
    2. Nitriles have boiling points ranging between 82 and 118 °C. The high 
    boiling points are due to strong dipole-dipole moments caused by the 
    polarity of the C N bond.
    3. Nitriles compounds exhibit high polar and electronegativity
    4. Lower nitriles are highly soluble in water but this solubility decreases 

    with the increase in molecular mass as the non-polar part becomes lager.

    Uses of nitrile compounds

    Nitriles find many uses:
    • Nitriles are used in the manufacture of nitrile gloves, seals, and pipes or tubes 
       as they exhibit resistance to chemicals.
    • They are used as an antidiabetic drug which is used in the treatment of breast 
       cancers.
    • This compound is found in many plant and animal sources.
    • They are utilized in the applications of oil resistant substances and also for 
       low-temperature uses
       They are also employed in automotive systems, hydraulic tubes and also in aircraft 

        systems.

    Checking up 8. 8

    1. Draw the structure of each of the compound below:
    a. Butanenitrile
    b. 3-methylpentanenitrile

    2. Name these compounds:

                    

    3. Draw all possible isomers of molecular formula   and name them.

    8.9. Preparation and chemical properties of nitriles

    Activity 8. 9

    One method of preparing nitriles is to dehydrate an amide. 
    1. Use your knowledge about chemistry of alkyl halides and suggest 
         another preparation method. 
    2. Name the reaction mechanism involved in that method
    3. Write an equation of the preparation of propanenitrile using the method 

        you have suggested.

    8.9.1. Preparation of nitriles

    Nitriles are prepared by dehydration of amides under reflux in the presence 
    of phosphorous (V) oxide, or sulphur dichloride oxide, 

     and there is elimination of water molecule. 

    1.Dehydration of amides

              

    2.Nucleophilic substitution of halogenoalkanes

    The halogenoalkane is heated under reflux with a solution of sodium or potassium 
    cyanide in ethanol. The halogen is replaced by a -CN group and a nitrile is 

    produced. 

            

             

    8.9.2. Chemical properties of Nitriles

    Nitrile compounds undergo various reactions. Nitriles are hydrolyzed in the 
    presence of an acid or a base to form carboxamides and carboxylic acids. This is 
    the reason why they are considered to be acid derivatives while they have no acyl 

    group.

    1. Hydrolysis

           

               

              2. Reduction reaction.

    Nitriles can be reduced by  to produce primary amines in the presence of 

    catalysts such as 

              

          

    Checking up 8. 9.

    1. An aldehyde of molecular formula   reacts with hydrogen cyanide 
    in strong basic medium to give compound A. compound A undergoes a 
    reduction to give compound B. 

    a. Suggest a reducing agent which can be used to reduce A.

    b. Draw the structure of the product formed when compound A is treated with hot acidified water

    2. What is meant by the term hydrolysis?
    3. Nitriles are considered to be acid derivatives even though they do not 
         have the acyl group. Search from the internet or library a reason for this 

         consideration.

    8.10. End Unit assessment

    Part I: Objective questions
    1. The esters are ……. acyl chlorides
    d. more reactive than
    e. equal in reactivity
    f. less reactive than 

    2. Secondary amines react with acid chloride to give
    a. amines
    b. carboxylic acids
    c. amides
    d. imines

    3. A mixture of acetic acid and propanoic acid undergo dehydration to give
    a. acetic anhydride
    b. propanoic anhydride
    c. acetic and propanoic anhydrides
    d. acetic, propanoic and acetic propanoic anhydrides

    4. Ethanoyl bromide reacts with sodium propanoate to give
    c. ethanoic anhydride
    d. propanoic anhydride
    e. ethanoic propanoic anhydride
    f. all of the above

    5. Esters are made from the reaction between
    a. carboxylic acid molecules
    b. alcohol molecules
    c. alcohol and carboxylic acid molecules
    d. acid anhydride and water molecules

     6. Ethyl acetate is hydrolyzed by water to give a/an
    a. lactone
    b. ester
    c. acid anhydride
    d. carboxylic acid and an alcohol

     7. The reaction between ethyl ethanoate and dimethylamine gives an
    a. amide
    b. imide
    c. acid anhydride

    8. 
     reduces Ethanamide to give a/an
    a. carboxylic acid
    b. amide
    c. alcohol
    d. amine

    9. Nitriles can be hydrolyzed with water to give
    a. alcohols
    b. aldehydes
    c. acids

    d. acids and amides

    10. Reduction of nitriles gives 
    e. amide
    f. amine
    g. imine
    h. carboxylic acids

    Part II: Structured questions
    1. Use equations to show how you could prepare the following compounds, 
         using the 
        organic compounds cited as the only organic substances and any inorganic 

         substance you need:

               

                     

     5. Draw the structural formula of:
           a. 2-chloropropanamide
           b. Methylpentanoate
          c. Butanoic anhydride
          d. Propanoyl chloride
          e. N-ethyl-N-propylbutanamide

    6. Give the organic products of the following reactions:
         a. Propanoic acid and ammonia. 
         b. Ethanoyl chloride plus methanol.
        c. Butanoic anhydride plus water. 
       d. Propanamide plus sodium hypobromite
        e. Ethanol plus propanoyl chloride

    7. Give reagents, essential conditions and equations for the conversion of 
         ethanoic acid into:
        a. Ethanoic anhydride
        b. Ethanamide
        c. Ethyl ethanoate
    8. Ethanoic anhydride is a liquid at room temperature but Ethanamide is a 
         solid. Comment briefly on this.

    9. Discuss the uses of esters. 

    10. a. Write an equation for the formation of ethyl ethaonate from ethanoyl 
           chloride and ethanol. Name and outline the mechanism for the reaction 
           taking place.
          Explain why dilute sodium hydroxide will cause holes in clothing made from 
          polymers such as terylene while polythene containers can store caustic soda.

    11. Ethyl oleate is an ester with the molecular structure below:

               

    It is possible the body could synthesize this compound from the ethanol present 
    in alcoholic drinks and the natural fatty acid, oleic acid.

    a. Write the structural formula of oleic acid
    b. Construct a balanced equation for the production of ethyl oleate from 
         ethanol and oleic acid.

    c. Suggest how oleic acid can be obtained from the triglyceride below

                    

    12.This question is about the reactions of carboxylic acids and their derivatives.
    a. A carboxylic derivative X was found to contain C, H, N and O. analysis 
         gave the following percentage composition by mass: 49.4%, 9.6% and 
        19.1% for carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen respectively. Compound X had 
         a relative molecular of 73.
         i. Calculate the empirical and molecular formulae of X.
        ii. Suggest three possible structures of X.
    b. Acyl chlorides such as ethanoyl chloride undergo several reactions due 
        to their high reactivity. What could be produced when ethanoyl chloride 
        reacts with:
    c. A and B are two isomeric amides which can be hydrolyzed in acidic medium.            
        i. Water
       ii. Propan-2-ol
       iii. Ammonia

       iv. Sodium acetate

         

         i. Draw the structures of the products formed from hydrolyzing A and B.
        ii. What is the structure of the compound produced when A reacts with 
             sodium hypobromite?

        iii. Write an equation for the reaction of B with ethanoyl chloride.

  • UNIT 9: AMINES AND AMINO ACIDS

        Key unit competency:

    The learner should be able to relate the chemical nature of the amines and 

    aminoacids to their properties, uses and reactivity.

    Learning objectives

    At the end of this unit, the students will be able to:
    • Explain the zwitterion forms in the solution of different pH.
    • Explain the isoelectric point in amino acids.
    • Describe the physical properties and uses of amines.
    • Describe the preparation methods of the amines.
    • Describe the reactions of amino acids and amines with other substances.
    • Classify amines as primary, secondary and tertiary amines.
    • Compare and contrast the physical properties of the amino acids to those of 
    carboxylic acids and amines.

    • Test the presence of amines and amino acids in the solution. 

    Introductory activity

    Read the text below, observe the accompanying images and answer the 
    questions.

    The cell is the basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all known living 
    organisms. A cell is the smallest unit of life. All cells are made up of Inorganic 
    compounds and Organic compounds. Inorganic compounds are compounds 
    that do not contain carbon atoms except carbonates ,carbides, carbon oxides 
    ,carbonic acid while organic compounds are compounds that mainly contain 
    carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms, and eventually other elements such as 
    oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) in biological macromolecules that include the 

    carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.

    Proteins are macromolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino 
    acid residues. Proteins differ from one another primarily in their sequence of 
    amino acids which is dictated by the nucleotide sequence of their genes, 
    and which usually results in protein folding into a specific three-dimensional 
    structure.
     

    That determines its activity. Nucleic acids [Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and 
    ribonucleic acid (RNA)] alongside proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates 
    (polysaccharides), are one of the four major types of macromolecules that are 
    essential for all known forms of life. They are a thread-like chain of nucleotides 
    carrying the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning 
    and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.
     

    The image below shows the partial molecular structure of DNA (A) and of 

    proteins (B, C).

           

    1. Identify the common point between DNA and proteins. Explain your 
    answer.
    2. The terminology “amino acid” is found in the text and image above. 
         According to you, what is it, and what is its role in living organisms?
    3. If protein molecules are made essentially of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, 
         Nitrogen and amino acid side chains (figure C),
        a. What kind of bonds do you expect to see in those structures?

        b. What kind of reactions do you expect in those molecules?

    9.1. Nomenclature and classification of amines

          Activity 9.1 

    Pentan-2-ol, butan-1-ol and 2-methylpropan-2-ol are alcohols.
    1. For each one:
    a. give its molecular formula 
    b. give its structural formula 
    c. give its displayed formula 
    d. give its skeletal formula 
    e. State whether it is a primary, secondary or tertiary alcohol. 
    2. Give the general formula that is used to represent alcohols. 
    3. Two of the alcohols in this question are isomers of each other. Identify 

       which two and identify the type of isomerism they show. 

    4. Name the alcohol whose structural formula is 

    Amines are one of organic compounds containing nitrogen. They are one of the 
    most important classes of organic compounds which are obtained by replacing 
    one or more hydrogen atoms by an alkyl or aryl group in a molecule of ammonia 
    They are present in vitamins, proteins, hormones, etc. They are extensively 

    used in the manufacturing of many drugs and detergents. 

     9.1.1 Classification of amines

    As per VSEPR theory, nitrogen present in amines is sp3
     hybridized and due to the 
    presence of lone pair, it is pyramidal in shape instead of tetrahedral shape which is a 
    general structure for most  hybridized molecules. Each of the three 
     hybridized orbitals of nitrogen overlap with orbitals of hydrogen or carbon depending
    upon the 
    configuration of amines. Due to the presence of lone pair, the C-N-H angle in amines 
    is less than 109 degrees which is characteristic angle of tetrahedral geometry. The 

    angle in amines is near about 108 degrees.

    The functional group of amines is  Depending upon the number of 
    hydrogen atoms that are replaced by an alkyl or aryl group in ammonia, amines are 

    classified as primary, secondary and tertiary (Table 9.1)

                

    9.1.2 Nomenclature of amines

    In organic chemistry, the names of the compounds are given according to the 
    guidelines provided by IUPAC. In this regards, amines are named by ending with –
    amine. The IUPAC system names amine functions as substituents on the largest alkyl 

    group. 

             

    If the amine is secondary and has two alkyl groups attached to the nitrogen, then 
    each chain is named and the smaller alkyl group is preceded by an –N which plays 

    the same role as a number in positioning a side alkyl chain.

               

     N-methylpropylamine is the common name and N-methyl-1-aminopropane
     is the IUPAC name.
    If in the common naming the lengths of the chain are the same, an –N is not used 

    as shown in the following example:

    (Diethylamine is the common name which does not 
    contain N because the chains have the same length and N-ethylethanamine is 

    the IUPAC.

    case of a tertiary amine, the use of N is applied at each alkyl side group.

                       

    The following are examples of primary, secondary and tertiary amines (Table 9.2) 

    with their corresponding names using IUPAC of common name.

                 

          Aliphatic and Aromatic and heterocyclic amines are named after the groups 

         surrounding the nitrogen + amine.

             

     In case of heterocyclic amines, there is a systematic nomenclature of these 
    compounds as indicated in the following examples. 
             
             

          Checking up 9.1

    1. Classify the following as primary, secondary and tertiary amines.

               

    2. For each compound below, provide the respective IUPAC name.

                  

             3. Write IUPAC names of the following compounds and classify them into 

              primary, secondary and tertiary amines.

                      

       9.2 Physical properties, natural occurrences and uses of amines. 

        Activity 9.2 

    Calculate the molecular mass of the given products and justify the difference 

    between boiling points of amines, alkanes and alcohols

             

    9.2.1 Physical properties of amines

    Primary and secondary amines can form a hydrogen bond to each other (as shown 
    in the Figure 9.1 below where two molecules of  are bonded together).

    Because Nitrogen is less electronegative than oxygen, the N—H bond is not quite 
    as polar as the O—H bond reason why hydrogen bonds in amines are not strong 
    than these alcohol molecules. Therefore primary and secondary amines have lower 

    boiling points than alcohols of similar molecular weight.

                        

    Tertiary amines do not bond to each other by hydrogen bond and they have boiling 
    points similar to those of hydrocarbons of the same molecular weight. However, 
    primary, secondary and tertiary amines form hydrogen bond with water and amines 

    with low-molecular weight are generally soluble in water.

                   

    Generally the boiling point of amines increases as the molecular weight increase 
    and they boil at higher temperatures than alkanes but at lower temperatures than 
    alcohols of comparable molar mass.
    The amines are soluble in organic solvent and the solubility decreases as the 
    molecular weight increases. The Table 9.3 summarizes some physical properties of 

    some amines.

    Table 9.3: Physical pproperties of some amines compared to some

     oxygen containing compounds.

                 

    Amines tend to be gases at low molecular weight (e.g. up to trimethylamine) 
    and the heavier ones are liquids at room temperature. In fact, methyl, dimethyl, 
    trimethyl, and ethyl -amines are gases under standard conditions. Most common 
    alkyl amines are liquids, and high molecular weight amines are, quite naturally, solids
    at standard temperatures. Additionally, gaseous amines possess a characteristic 
    ammonia smell, while liquid amines have a distinctive “fishy” smell: higher molecular 
    weight amines often smell like rotting fish, and are often found in decaying 
    animal tissues. Cadaverine and putrescine are some 
    of the examples. The lower molecular- weight amines with up to about five carbon 
    atoms are soluble in water. The higher-molecular-weight amines that are insoluble 

    in water will dissolve in acid to form ionic amine salts.

    9.2.2 Natural occurrence of amines and their usage

    Natural amines occur in proteins, vitamins, hormones, etc. and they are
     also prepared 
    synthetically to make polymers, drugs and dyes.

    Amines can be used as dyes (colorants) or as drugs: Primary aromatic amines are 
    used as a starting material for the manufacture of azo dyes. They react with nitrous 
    (II) acid to form diazonium salt which can undergo a coupling reaction in order to 
    form an azo compound. As azo compounds are highly coloured, they are widely 

    used in dyeing industries. Examples include Methyl orange and Direct brown 138.

    In medicine, amines can be used as drugs.

    Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine that helps to relief allergic disorders 
       due to cold, hay fever, itchy skin, insect bites and stings.

    Diphenhydramine is the common antihistamine.

    Chlorpromazine is a tranquillizer that anaesthetizes without inducing sleep. 
       It is used to relieve anxiety, excitement, restlessness or even mental disorder.

    Acetaminophen is also known as paracetamol or p-acetaminophenol, it is 
    an analgesic that relieves pains such as headaches. It is believed to be less 
    corrosive to the stomach and is an alternative to aspirin.

    Amines are widely encountered in biological and pharmacological studies. Some 
    important examples are the 2-phenylethylamines, some vitamins, antihistamines, 
    tranquilizers, and neurotransmitters (noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin) 

    which act at neuromuscular synapses.

    Checking up 9.2

    1. Which compound of each pair has the higher boiling point? Explain.

    a. butylamine or pentane

        

     2. Between the two compounds  explain which 
    is more soluble in water.
     

     9.3 Preparation of amines. 

    Activity 9.3

    Ammonia   molecules react with water molecules. Write the detailed 

    chemical equation of that reaction.

    The amines can be prepared based on the following reactions:

    9.3.1 Alkylation of ammonia

    Primary amines can be synthesized by alkylation of ammonia. The reaction involves 
    nucleophilic substitution of an alkyl halide when ammonia is used as nucleophilic 

    agent. The reaction is carried out in a sealed tube at 100 °C or 373 K. 

       

    9.3.2. Gabriel phthalimide synthesis

    This procedure is used for the preparation of primary amines. Phthalimide on 
    treatment with ethanolic potassium hydroxide forms potassium salt of phthalimide 
    which on heating with alkyl halide followed by alkaline hydrolysis produces the 
    corresponding primary amine. However, primary aromatic amines cannot be 
    prepared by Gabriel phthalimide synthesis because aryl halides do not undergo 

    nucleophilic substitution with the anion formed by phthalimide.

                   

    9.3.3. Hoffmann bromamide degradation reaction

    Hoffmann developed a method for the preparation of primary amines by treating an 
    amide with bromine in an aqueous or ethanolic solution of sodium hydroxide. This 
    is a degradation reaction with migration of an alkyl or aryl group taking place from 
    carbonyl carbon of the amide to the nitrogen atom. 

    The reaction is valid for the preparation of primary amines only, and it yields 

    uncontaminated compound with other amines. 

          

    9.3.4 Reduction of amides

    Similarly to reduction of amides, lithium aluminium hydride reduces 

    amides to amines. 

                 

    9.3.5 Reduction of nitriles

    Nitriles are reduced to amines using hydrogen in the presence of a nickel catalyst, 
    although acidic or alkaline conditions should not be used to avoid the possible 
    hydrolysis of the -CN group. is more commonly employed for the reduction of 

    nitriles on the laboratory scale.

                         

    9.3.6 Reduction of nitro compounds

    Nitro compounds are reduced to amines by passing hydrogen gas in the presence 
    of finely divided nickel, palladium or platinum and also by reduction with metals 
    in acidic medium. Nitroalkanes can also be similarly reduced to the corresponding 

    alkanamines.

                       

    Reduction with iron scrap and hydrochloric acid is preferred because 
     formed gets hydrolysed to release hydrochloric acid during the reaction.
    Thus, only a small amount of hydrochloric acid is required to initiate the reaction.

    Checking up 9.3

    1. Give two reagents that could be used to synthesize the following 

        reaction.

           

    2.Discuss the conditions for using each of the reagents of your choice.

    3.Write chemical equations for the following reactions:

    a. Reaction of ethanolic
    b. Ammonolysis of benzoyl chloride and reaction of amine so formed with 

           two moles of 

    9.4. Chemical properties of amines

          Activity 9.4

    Experiment: In a solution of ethylamine at room temperature (A), add dilute 
    hydrochloric acid (B). After a while (C), add excess of sodium hydroxide in the 
    solution (D) to obtain the solution E.   
      

               

               Explain: 

    1. What evidence is there for a chemical reaction between ethylamine and 
       hydrochloric acid?
    2. Why does the smell of ethylamine disappear when hydrochloric acid is added?
    3. Why does the smell reappear when sodium hydroxide is added?

    Difference in electronegativity between nitrogen and hydrogen atoms and the 

    presence of unshared pair of electrons over the nitrogen atom makes amines 
    reactive. The number of hydrogen atoms attached to nitrogen atom also is involved 
    in the reaction of amines; that is why the reactivity of amines differ in many reactions. 
    Amines behave as nucleophiles due to the presence of unshared electron pair.
     

    The chemical properties of amines are summarized in the reactions below.

    9.4.1 Reactions of amines diluted with acids
    Amines, like ammonia, are bases. Being basic in nature, they react with acids to 

    form salts.

                   

    Amine salts on treatment with a base like NaOH, regenerate the parent amine.

                      

                 

     9.4.2 Reactions of amines (alkylation, acylation, and sulfonation)

    Acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides react with primary and secondary amines to 
    form amides. Tertiary amines cannot be acylated due to the absence of a replaceable 

    hydrogen atom. 

                    

                  

    9.4.3. Reaction with carboxylic acid

    Because amines are basic, they neutralize carboxylic acids to form the corresponding 
    ammonium carboxylate salts. Upon heating at 200°C, the primary and secondary 

    amine salts dehydrate to form the corresponding amides.

                 

    9.4.4. Reaction with nitrous acid

    Nitrous acid,  is unstable. It is produced indirectly using a mixture of 

     and a strong acid such as  in diluted solution. Primary aliphatic amines react 

    with nitrous acid to produce a very unstable diazonium salts which spontaneously 

    decomposes by losing to form a carbenium ion. Further, the carbonium ion is 

    used to produce a mixture of alkenes, alkanols or alkyl halides, with alkanols as 

    major product said above.

          

            

    Primary aromatic amines, such as aniline (phenylamine) forms a more stable 
    diazonium ion at  Above 5°C, it will decompose to give phenol and 
     Diazonium salts can be isolated in the crystalline form but are usually used in solution 

    and immediately after preparation, due to its rapid decomposition.

                       

    9.4.5. Reactions with ketones and aldehydes

    Primary amines react with carbonyl compounds to form imines. Specifically, 
    aldehydes become aldimines, and ketones become ketimines. In the case of 

    formaldehyde (R’ = H), the imine products are typically cyclic trimers.

               

    Secondary amines react with ketones and aldehydes to form enamines. An 
    enamine contains a C=C double bond, where the second C is singly bonded to N as 

    part of an amine ligand.

               

    9.4.6. Neutralization reactions

    Tertiary amines  react with strong acids such as hydroiodic acid (HI), hydrobromic 
    acid (HBr) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) to give ammonium salts 

                  

    Checking up 9.4

    1. Draw the structures of all amines of molecular formula . Classify 
        them as primary, secondary and tertiary amines
    2. a. Write the equation for the reaction which happens when dimethylamine, 
     reacts with water.
    b. Write the formula of the product of the reaction between trimethylamine 
         gas,  and hydrogen chloride gas, showing the essential details of 
          its structure.
    3.Nitrous acid is unstable and has to be produced in the same test tube as the 
       reaction is happening in. If you were to test an amine with nitrous acid, how 

       would you do it?

    4.This question is about the reactions between amines and halogenoalkanes 
    (alkylhalides).
    The reaction between bromoethane and ethylamine produces a complicated 
    mixture of products, but the first to be formed are given by the equations 

    below:

              

    Describe in words what is happening.

    These next three questions are deliberately made uncooperative so that you 
    can only do them by understanding what you have read, and not just learning 
    it. Take your time over them.

    5. Write the formulae for the corresponding products of the reaction if you started 
        with methylamine rather than ethylamine, but still reacted it with bromoethane.

    6. If you started with a secondary amine such as dimethylamine, you would 
         initially get a tertiary amine and its salt in the mixture. Write the formulae of 
        these products if you reacted dimethylamine with bromoethane.

    7. Draw the structure of the product that you would get if you reacted the tertiary 

        amine trimethylamine with bromoethane.

    9.5. General structure of amino acids and some common 

             examples

         Activity 9.5

    Amines are molecules that have as general formula,  while carboxylic 
    acids have as general formula, R–COOH. Predict a general structure (skeletal 
    formula) of a molecule that contains an amino group and a carboxyl group on 

    an aliphatic chain.

    9.5.1. General structure of amino acids

    Amino acids are organic compounds containing amine  and carboxyl (-COOH) 
    functional groups, along with a side chain (R group) specific to each amino acid. 
    The key elements of an amino acid are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and 
    nitrogen (N). About 500 naturally occurring amino acids are known. 

    The general structure of amino acid is shown by the functional group  and 
    a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) attached to the same carbon and they are called 

    α-amino acids.

                                        

    The R group is the part of the amino acid that can vary in different amino acids. It 
    can be a hydrogen (in that case, the amino acid is called Glycine) or a 

     group (Alanine) or other radicals.

    9.5.2. Common Amino Acids

    Among the 500 known amino acids, there are 20 important α-amino acids, as shown 
    in the Table 9.4 below. Each amino acid has a common name. You will notice that 
    the names in common used for amino acids are not descriptive of their structural 
    formulas; but at least they have the advantage of being shorter than the systematic 
    names. The abbreviations (Gly, Glu, …) that are listed in table below, are particularly 
    useful in designating the sequences of amino acids in proteins and peptides. 

    Table 9.4: Common amino acids and their formulas [adapted from (Chang, 2005) and 

    (Schmitz, 2018)]

             

                             

                               

                                 

                                   

    The first amino acid to be isolated was asparagine in 1806. It was obtained from 
    protein found in asparagus juice (hence the name). Glycine, the major amino acid 
    found in gelatin, was named for its sweet taste (Greek glykys, meaning “sweet”). In 
    some cases an amino acid found in a protein is actually a derivative of one of the 

    common 20 amino acids.

    Checking up 9.5

    1. Write the side chain of each amino acid.
          a. serine
         b. arginine

         c. phenylalanine

    2. Draw the structure for each amino acid.
        a. alanine
        b. cysteine
        c. histidine
    3. Identify an amino acid whose side chain contains:
         a. amide functional group.
        b. aromatic ring.

        c. carboxyl group.

    9.6. Comparison of physical properties of amino acids to 

           those of carboxylic acids and amines

       Activity 9.6 

    By using examples, distinguish amines, carboxylic acids and amino acids (in 

    different states: gas, liquid, solid) based on their characteristic odour. 

    The amino acids, carboxylic acids and amines have different functional groups;
    this is the base of their different physical properties as shown in the Table 9.5.

    Table 9.5. Comparison of physical properties of amines, carboxylic acids and amino 

    acids.

                   

                     

                       

                                

          Checking up 9.6

    Discuss the solubility of amino acids, referring on the solubility of amines and 

    carboxylic acids

          9.7. Chemical properties of amino acids       

           Activity 9

    A and B are organic products formed from the reactions in a) and b) 

    respectively, propose a mechanism of those reactions and identify A and B.   

        

    The reactivity of amino acids involves the reactions of both amines and carboxylic 

    acids. Some of these reactions are given below.

    9.7.1. Acid–base properties of amino acids

    As the name suggests, amino acids are organic compounds that contain both a 
    carboxylic acid group and an amine group. Amino acids are crystalline, high melting 
    point (>200°C) solids. Such high melting points are unusual for a substance with 
    molecules of this size — they are a result of internal ionisation. Even in the solid 
    state, amino acids exist as zwitterions in which a proton has been lost from the 

    carboxyl group and accepted by the nitrogen of the amine group:

                      

    So instead of hydrogen bonds between the amino acid molecules there are stronger 
    ionic (electrovalent) bonds. This is reflected in the relative lack of solubility of amino 
    acids in non- aqueous solvents compared with their solubility in water.

    Zwitterions exhibit acid–base behaviour because they can accept and donate 
    protons. In acids a proton is accepted by the carboxylic acid anion, forming a unit 

    with an overall positive charge:

                            

      In alkalis the reverse occurs with the loss of a proton from the nitrogen atom:

                 

           The species present in a given solution depends on the pH of the solution.

    Carboxylic acids have acidic properties and react with bases. Amines have basic 
    properties and react with acids. It therefore follows that amino acids have both 

    acidic and basic properties.

          9.7.2. Isoelectric point in aminoacids (pI)

    The isoelectric point (pI), is the pH at which a particular molecule carries no net 
    electrical charge in the statistical mean. This means it is the pH at which the amino 
    acid is neutral, i.e. the zwitterion form is dominant. The pI is given by the average of 

    the pKa that involve the zwitterion, i.e. that give the boundaries to its existence

    The table below shows the pKa values and the isoelectronic point, pI, are given 

    below for the 20 α-amino acids (Table 9.6).

        

           Table 9.6. pKa and pI values for the 20 α-amino acids

                  

               

                 There are 3 cases to consider:

        1. Neutral side chains

    These amino acids are characterised by two pKa values: and for the 
    carboxylic acid and the amine respectively. The isoelectronic point will be halfway 
    between, or the average of, these two pKa values . This is most readily appreciated 
    when you realise that at very acidic pH (below pka1) the amino acid will have an 
    overall positive charge and at very basic pH (above ) the amino acid will have 

    an overall negative charge. 

                     

     The other two cases introduce other ionisable groups in the side chain “R” described 

    by a third acid dissociation constant,

         2. Acidic side chains

    The pI will be at a lower pH because the acidic side chain introduces an “extra” 
    negative charge. So the neutral form exists under more acidic conditions when the 
    extra -ve has been neutralised. For example, for aspartic acid shown below, the 
    neutral form is dominant between pH 1.88 and 3.65, pI is halfway between these 

    two values 

               

    3. Basic side chains

    The pI will be at a higher pH because the basic side chain introduces an “extra” 
    positive charge. So the neutral form exists under more basic conditions when the 
    extra positive has been neutralised. For example, for histidine, which has three acidic 
    groups of pKa’s 1.82 (carboxylic acid), 6.04 (pyrrole NH) and 9.17 (ammonium NH), 
    the neutral form is dominant between pH 6.04 and 9.17; pI is halfway between these 

    two values, i.e. , so pI = 7.60. 

      9.7.3. Reaction with strong acids

    In the following reaction, amino acids react with strong acids such as hydrochloric 

    acid:

              

        9.7.4. Reaction with nitrous acid (deamination)

    The amine function of α-amino acids and esters reacts with nitrous acid in a similar 
    manner to that described for primary amines. The diazonium ion intermediate loses 
    molecular nitrogen in the case of the acid, but the diazonium ester loses a proton 

    and forms a relatively stable diazo compound known as ethyl diazo ethanoate:

                               

    The diazo ester is formed because of the loss of from the diazonium ion which 

    results in the formation of a quite unfavourable carbocation.

    9.7.5. Reaction with sodium hydroxide
    Amino acids react with strong bases such as sodium hydroxide:

    9.7.5. Reaction with sodium hydroxide

    Amino acids react with strong bases such as sodium hydroxide:

             

         In high pH, therefore, amino acids exist in anionic form:

                                               

    9.7.6. Reaction of amino acids with sodium carbonate

    Amino acids are instantly dissolved by strong hydrochloric acid but are in part 
    recovered unchanged on dilution and evaporation. They are not decomposed by 
    sodium carbonate but are easily decomposed by sodium hydroxide. (Dakin & West, 

    1928).

    Checking up 9.7

    1. Draw the structure for the anion formed when glycine (at neutral pH) 
      reacts with a base.
    2. Draw the structure for the cation formed when glycine (at neutral pH) 

    reacts with an acid

    3. Calculate the Isoelectric point of Glycine?

    4. Calculate the Isoelectric point of Lysine?

    9.8. Optical isomers of amino acids

    Activity 9.8

    The molecule CHBrClF exhibits optical isomerism. Draw the 3D displayed 

    formulae of both optical isomers.

    Simple substances which show optical isomerism exist as two isomers known as 
    enantiomers. Where the atoms making up the various isomers are joined up in a 
    different order, this is known as structural isomerism. Structural isomerism is not 
    a form of stereoisomerism, which involve the atoms of the complex bonded in the 
    same order, but in different spatial arrangements. Optical isomerism is one form of 

    stereoisomerism; geometric isomers are a second type.

    The general formula for an amino acid (apart from glycine, 2-aminoethanoic acid) 
    is shown below.The carbon at the centre of the structure has four different groups 

    attached. In glycine, the “R” group is another hydrogen atom.

                                                         

    The lack of a plane of symmetry means that there will be two stereoisomers of an 
    amino acid (apart from glycine) - one the non-superimposable mirror image of the 

    other.

    For a general 2-amino acid, the isomers are:

                                   

    The R group, usually referred to as a side chain, determines the properties of each 
    amino acid. Scientists classify amino acids into different categories based on the 
    nature of the side chain. A tetrahedral carbon atom with four distinct groups is 
    called chiral. The ability of a molecule to rotate plane polarized light to the left, 
    L (levorotary) or right, D (dextrorotary) gives it its optical and stereo chemical 

    fingerprint.

     All the naturally occurring amino acids have the right-hand structure in the diagram 
    above. This is known as the “L-” configuration. The other one is known as the “D-” 
    configuration.

    When asymmetric carbon atoms are present in a molecular compound, there are 
    two ways in which the groups attached to that carbon can be arranged in the three 
    dimensions, as we have just shown with the two models above. Chemically, optical 
    isomers behave in the same way. Biologically, they do not. One will react properly, 

    but the other will not.

    Checking up 9.8

    1. Write the optical isomers of 2-aminopropanoic and 

    2. Using diagrams, explain why glycine is not chiral.

    9.9. Peptides and polypeptides

    Activity 9.9

    Ethyne   is a compound which can undergo a polymerisation reaction. 
    Deduce the reaction of polymerisation of ethyne, showing the mechanism of 

    reaction.

    9.9.1. Formation of peptide bonds

    Amino acid molecules can also react with each other; the acidic –COOH group in one 
    molecule reacts with the basic group in another molecule.
    When two amino 
    acids react together, the resulting molecule is called a dipeptide,
    forming an amide 
    linkage (peptide bond), with the elimination of a water molecule.

    Each amino acid possesses a carboxylic acid group and an amine group. The 
    possibilities for constructing polypeptides and proteins are enormous. Let us 
    consider two simple amino acids, glycine (2-aminoethanoic acid) and alanine

    (2-aminopropanoic acid). 

              The figures below show that these can be joined in two ways:

           

      Note: the amide link between the two amino acids. An amide link between two 
    amino acid molecules is also called a peptide link. The reaction is a condensation 
    reaction as a small molecule. The dipeptide product still has an 
     group at one end and a –COOH group at the other end.Therefore the reaction can continue,
    to 
    form a tripeptide initially, and then ever-longer chains of amino acids.
    The longer 
    molecules become known as polypeptides, and then proteins as they get even 
    longer sequences of amino acids. A typical protein is formed from between 50 and 

    200 amino acids joined in a variety of sequences. 

    9.9.2. Structure of peptides and polypetides

    A series of amino acids joined by peptide bonds form a polypeptide chain, and each 
    amino acid unit in a polypeptide is called a residue. A polypeptide chain has polarity 
    because its ends are different, with α-amino group at one end and α-carboxyl 
    group at the other. By convention, the amino end is taken to be the beginning of 
    a polypeptide chain, and so the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain 
    is written starting with the aminoterminal residue. Thus, in the pentapeptide
    TyrGly-Gly-Phe-Leu (YGGFL), 
    tyrosine is the amino-terminal (N-terminal) residue and 
    leucine is the carboxyl-terminal (C-terminal)residue Leu-Phe-Gly-Gly-Tyr (LFGGY) is 

    a different pentapeptide, with different chemical properties.

                      

    This above illustration of the pentapeptide Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu (YGGFL) shows 
    the sequence from the amino terminus to the carboxyl terminus. This pentapeptide, 
    Leu-enkephalin, is an opioid peptide that modulates the perception of pain. The 
    reverse pentapeptide, Leu-Phe-Gly-Gly-Tyr (LFGGY), is a different molecule and 

    shows no such effects.

    A polypeptide chain consists of a regularly repeating part, called the main chain 
    or backbone, and a variable part, comprising the distinctive side chains. The 
    polypeptide backbone is rich in hydrogen-bonding potential. Each residue contains 
    a carbonyl group, which is a good hydrogen-bond acceptor and, with the exception 
    of proline, an NH group, which is a good hydrogen-bond donor. These groups 
    interact with each other and with functional groups from side chains to stabilize 

    particular structures, as will be discussed later.

                  

    A polypeptide chain consists of a constant backbone (shown in blue) and variable 

    side chains (shown in green).

    9.9.3. Uses of amino acids as building blocks of proteins

    Like carbohydrates and lipids, proteins contain the elements carbon (C), hydrogen
    (H) and oxygen (O), but in addition they also always contain nitrogen (N).sulphur(S) 
    is often present as well as iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P). Before understanding how 

    proteins are constructed, the structure of amino acids should be noted.

    The process of construction of proteins begins by amino acids bonding together, as 
    seen earlier, through peptide bonds. When many amino acids join together a long
    chain polypeptide is produced. The linking of amino acids in this way takes place 

    during protein synthesis.

     

    The simplest level of protein structure, primary structure, is simply the sequence of 
    amino acids in a polypeptide chain. The primary structure (Figure 9.2) of a protein 
    refers to its linear sequence of amino de (–S–S–) bridges. One of those sequences is: 

    –Gly–Ile–Val–Cyst–Glu–Gln–Ala–Ser–Leu–Asp–Arg–Asp–Arg–Cys–Val–Pro–

    The primary structure is held together by peptide bonds that are made during the 
    process of protein biosynthesis. The two ends of the polypeptide chain are referred 
    to as the carboxyl terminus (C-terminus) and the amino terminus (N-terminus) based 

    on the nature of the free group on each extremity.

                        

    For example, the hormone insulin (Figure 9.3) has two polypeptide chains, A and B, 
    shown in diagram below. Each chain has its own set of amino acids, assembled in a 
    particular order. For instance, the sequence of the A chain starts with glycine at the 
    N-terminus and ends with asparagine at the C-terminus, and is different from the 
    sequence of the B chain. You may notice that the insulin chains are linked together 

    by sulfur-containing bonds between cysteines.

                 

    Checking Up 9.9

    1. Distinguish between the N– terminal amino acid and the C– terminal 
         amino acid of a peptide or protein.
    2. Describe the difference between an amino acid and a peptide.
    3. Amino acid units in a protein are connected by peptide bonds. What is 
         another name for the functional group linking the amino acids?
    4. Draw the structure for each peptide.
    a. gly-val
    b. val-gly

    5. Identify the C– and N– terminal amino acids for the peptide lys-val-phegly-arg-cys.

    9.10. End Unit Assessment

    1. Ethylamine and phenylamine are two organic compounds and both are basic.
        a. Draw the displayed formula of each compound, including lone pairs. 
         b. Write a balanced symbol equation for the reaction between one of these 
              compounds and an acid to form a salt. 
          c. Which structural feature of each compound accounts for the basicity?
    2. The formulae of two amino acids, glycine (Gly) and alanine (Ala), are 

          given:

            

    a. i. Give the systematic names of both amino acids. 
        ii. Draw their skeletal formulae. 
    b. Alanine can exist as two stereoisomers.
        i. Draw these two stereoisomers, showing how they differ in their spatial 
           arrangements. 

       ii. Explain why glycine does not have stereoisomers.

    3. The structure of a certain tripeptide is shown here:

              

     a. i. Draw the displayed formulae of the three amino acids that make up the 
              tripeptide. 
        ii. Which of these amino acids has two chiral carbon atoms? 
    b. This tripeptide can be split up into the three amino acids by refluxing with 
          aqueous hydrochloric acid.
        i. Which bond is broken in this reaction? 
       ii. The reaction can be described as hydrolysis. Explain why, using a 

             diagram.

     

           

  • UNIT 10. PHASE DIAGRAMS

             Key unit competency:

    To be able to interpret the phase diagrams for different compounds.
    • Define a phase
    • Explain the term phase equilibrium
    • Explain the effect of change of state on changing pressure and temperature
    • Define heterogeneous and homogeneous equilibria
    • Define triple point, critical point, normal boiling and melting points of 
       substances
    • Relate the physical properties of compounds to their phase diagrams.
    • Locate triple point, critical point, normal boiling and melting points on the 
       phase
    • diagrams
    • Compare the phase diagrams for water with that carbon dioxide 
    • Develop analysis skills, team work, and attentiveness in interpreting the 

       phase diagrams and in practical activities

    Introductory Activity 

    In our daily life, we use varied materials which have distinct properties and they 
    can exist in different physical states of the matter. In this regard, we sometimes 
    need to keep a given substance in a certain state because we know that it will 
    serve better. Explain two important conditions that should be dealt with to 
    maintain stable some physical states of the matter as we need them.

    Explain why ice flots on water.

    10.1. Phase equilibrium

    Activity 10.1

    1. Observe the diagrams that represent different systems and assess the 

        number of phases and components involved in each system.

                 

          2. Differentiate a phase and a physical state of matter. Explain your answer.

          10.1.1. Definition of key terms

    A phase is a homogeneous portion of a system which has uniform physical 
    characteristics. It can be separated from other parts of the system by a clear boundary 
    (limit). A phase can be a solid, liquid, vapor (gas) or aqueous solution which is uniform 

    in both chemical composition and physical state.

    Examples

    i. A mixture of gases (air) consists of one phase only
    ii. A mixture of oil and water consists of two different liquid phases

    iii. A mixture of solids, each solid is regarded as having one phase 

    A component: it is a chemical species which may be used to specify the 
    composition of a system. For example;

    • A three-phase system of water (i.e. water, ice, and vapor) is a one component 
    system. The constituent substance of the three phases is water only.

    • A mixture of water and ethanol is a one phase, two components system 
    because there are two different chemical compositions.

    An equilibrium: it is the state of a reaction or physical change in which the 
    rates of the forward and reverse processes are the same and there is no net 
    change on the amount of the equilibrium components

    A phase equilibrium: it is a balance between phases, that is, the coexistence 
    of two or more phases in a state of dynamic equilibrium. The forward process 
    is taking place at the same rate as the backward process and therefore the 
    relative quantity of each phase remains unchanged unless the external 

    condition is altered.

                

    Checking up 10.1

    1. Which of the following is not an example of phase equilibrium?

                  

    b) Carbon dioxide in a stoppered fizzy drink:

    c) Vapours above the surface of liquid water in a closed container, at a given 
        temperature.
    2. At 0.001°C and 0.00603 atm water, ice and vapor can coexist in a closed 
        container.
    a) Explain the number of phases that this equilibrium has.

    b) How many components does this system have? Explain.

    10.2. Homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria

    Activity 10.2

    Differentiate homogeneous mixture from heterogeneous mixture. mixture
    of solids, each solid is regarded as having one phase 

    1. Homogeneous equilibrium
    A system with one phase only is described as a homogeneous system and when 
    this system is at equilibrium, it is said to be a homogenous equilibrium.
     

    In general, a homogeneous equilibrium is one in which all components are present 
    in a single phase. In a case of a chemical reaction, both reactants and products exist 
    in one phase (gaseous phase, liquid phase or aqueous solution and solid phase).
     

    For example, in the esterification of acetic acid and ethanol the equilibrium is 
    homogeneous because all involved substances are in the same liquid phase.

    All the reactants and products are liquids

    2. Heterogeneous equilibrium
    A system consisting of more than one distinct phases is described as heterogeneous 
    system. A heterogeneous equilibrium is a system in which the constituents are 
    found in two or more phases. The phases may be any combination of solid, liquid, 
    gas, or solutions. 
    For example, in the manufacture of quick lime from lime
    stone the following equilibrium is involved:

                                    
     It is a heterogeneous equilibrium because some of the components are solids (lime 

    stone and quick lime) and another is a gas (carbon dioxide).

    Checking up 10.2

    Classify the following reactions as homogeneous equilibrium and heterogeneous 

    equilibrium

                  

    10.3. Phase diagrams

    Activity 10.3

    1. When ice cream trucks drive through towns on hot season days, they 
        keep their products from melting by using dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) 

       as shown in the image below. Why is dry ice used instead of ice?

                          

         2. Why most of the time very high mountains are covered by ice?    

                            

          3. Explain the conditions that are required to be changed so that the pure 

              substance change from one state of matter to another. 

     Aphase diagram is a graph illustrating the conditions of temperature and pressure 
    under which equilibrium exists between the distinct phases (states of matter) of a 
    substance. Phase diagrams are divided into three single phase regions that cover 
    the pressure-temperature space over which the matter being evaluated exists: 
    liquid, gaseous, and solid states. The lines that separate these single-phase regions 
    are known as phase boundaries. Along the phase boundaries, the matter being 
    evaluated exists simultaneously in equilibrium between the two states that border 

    the phase boundary.

    The general form of a phase diagram for a substance that exhibits three phases 

    is shown below in the Figure 10.1.                      

                 

     Under appropriate conditions of temperature and pressure of a solid can be in 
    equilibrium with its liquid state or even with its gaseous state. The phase diagram 
    allows to predict the phase of substance that is stable at any given temperature and 
    pressure. It contains three important curves, each of which represents the conditions 

    of temperature and pressure at which the various phases can coexist at equilibrium.

    i. Boiling point 

    The line TC is the vapor pressure curve of the liquid. It represents the equilibrium 
    between the liquid and the gas phases. The temperature on this curve where the 
    vapor pressure is equal to 1atm and it is the normal boiling point of the substance. 
    The vapor pressure curve ends at the critical point (C) which is the critical 
    temperature corresponding to the critical pressure of the substance which is the 

    pressure required to bring about liquefaction at critical temperature.

    ii. Critical point

    Critical point consists of the temperature and pressure beyond which the liquid and 
    gas phases cannot be distinguished. Every substance has a critical temperature 

    above which the gas cannot be liquefied, regardless the applied pressure.

    iii. Sublimation point

    The line AT is the sublimation curve which represent the variation in the vapor 
    pressure of the solid as it sublimes into gas at different temperatures. The reverse 
    process is deposition of the gas as a solid. Sublimation point is the temperature at 

    which the solid turns to gas at a constant pressure.

    iv. Melting point

    The line TB is the melting point curve which represent the change in melting point 
    of the solid with increasing pressure.The line usually slopes slightly to the right as 
    pressure increases. For most substances, the solid is denser than the liquid, therefore, 
    an increase in pressure favors the more compact solid. Thus, higher temperatures 
    are required to melt the solid at higher pressures. The temperature at which the 

    solid melts at a pressure of 1atm is the “normal melting point”.

    v. Triple point

    The triple point T is a point where the three curves intersect. All the three phases 
    exist at equilibrium at this temperature and pressure. The triple point is unique for 

    each substance.

    vi. Supercritical fluid

    Supercritical fluid of a substance is the temperature and pressure above its own 
    thermodynamic critical point that can diffuse through solids like a gas and dissolved 

    materials like a liquid.

    Any point on the diagram that does not fall on a line corresponds to conditions 
    under which one phase is present. Any other point on the three curves represents 
    equilibrium between two phases.

    The gas phase is stable phase at low pressures and elevated temperatures. The 
    conditions under which the solid phase is stable extend to low temperatures and 
    high pressures. The stability range for liquids lie between the other two regions. That 

    is between solid and liquid regions.

    10.3. 1. Phase diagram of water

    Water is a unique substance in many ways due to its properties. One of these special 
    properties is the fact that solid water (ice) is less dense than liquid water just above 

    the freezing point. The phase diagram for water is shown in the Figure 10.2.

                       

    Water can turn into vapor at any temperature that falls on the vapor pressure curve 
    depending on the conditions of pressure, but the temperature at which water liquid 
    turns into vapor at normal pressure (1atm) is called the normal boiling point of 

    water, 100 °C (Figure 10.2)

    Point E in the Figure 10.2 is the critical point of water where the pressure is equal 
    to 218 atm and the temperature is about 374 °C. At 374°C, particles of water in the 
    gas phase are moving rapidly.At any other temperature above the critical point of 
    water, the physical nature of water liquid and steam cannot be distinguished; the 
    gas phase cannot be made to liquefy, no matter how much pressure is applied to 

    the gas.

    The phase diagram of water is not a typical example of a one component system 
    because the line AD (melting point curve) slopes upward from right to left. It has a 
    negative slope and its melting point decreases as the pressure increases. This occurs 
    only for substances that expand on freezing. Therefore, liquid water is denser than 

    solid water (ice), the reason why ice floats on water.

    10.3.2. Phase diagram of carbon dioxide

    Compared to the phase diagram of water, in the phase diagram of carbon dioxide 
    the solid-liquid curve exhibits a positive slope, indicating that the melting point for 
    increases with pressure as it does for most substances. The increase of pressure 
    causes the equilibrium between dry ice and carbon dioxide liquid to shift in the 
    direction of formation of dry ice that is freezing. Carbon dioxide contracts on freezing 
    and this implies that dry ice has higher density than that of liquid carbon dioxide. 

    The Figure 10.3 shows the phase diagram of carbon dioxide.

                          

                  

    The triple point is observed at the pressure above 1atm, indicating that carbon 
    dioxide cannot exist as a liquid under normal conditions of pressure. Instead, 
    cooling gaseous carbon dioxide at 1atm results in its deposition into the solid state. 
    Likewise, solid carbon dioxide does not melt at 1atm pressure but instead sublimes 

    to yield gaseous 

    Checking up 10.3

    1. If a piece of dry ice is left on the lab counter, you will see it get smaller 
        until it disappears, with no liquid left around it. Explain why.

    2. Describe what conditions of pressure and temperature will carbon 
        dioxide exist as a liquid?

    3. What is the meaning of the term “critical temperature”, and what is the 
         value of the critical temperature of ?

    4. Why does  make an excellent fire extinguisher?

    5. Explain the following observations:
        a) When a closed glass container full of water is put in fridge, it directly 
             breaks when the water freezes.
       b) The water of oceans at the poles of the Earth are normally covered by 

         ice and ice does not submerge in water.

                     

    10.4. Comparison of phase diagrams of substances that 

              expand and those that contract on freezing

    Activity 10.4

    1. Analyze the phase diagrams of water and carbon dioxide previously 
         discussed to assess their similarities and differences.
    2. The glacier easily slides on ice as shown in the photo below. Explain how 

          the property of water facilitates this movement.

                                        

    For the phase diagrams, some materials contract on freezing while others expand 
    on freezing. The main differences between substances that expand and those 
    that contract on freezing can be highlighted by comparing the phase diagrams 
    of carbon dioxide and that of water. In the phase diagram of carbon dioxide, the 

    substance contracts on freezing and that of water expands on freezing.

    Both phase diagrams for water and carbon dioxide have the same general Y-shape, 
    just shifted relative to one another. This shift occurs because the liquid phase in 
    the dry ice can only occur at higher temperatures and pressures, whereas, in ice 
    the liquid phase occurs at lower temperatures and pressures. There are two more 
    significant differences between the phase diagram of carbon dioxide and that of 

    water:

    10.4.1. Melting point curve

    The melting point curve of carbon dioxide slopes upwards to right (Figure 10.3) 
    whereas that of water slopes upward to left (Figure 10.2). This means that for carbon 
    dioxide the melting point increases as the pressure increases, a characteristic 
    behavior of substances that contract on freezing. Further, water expands on freezing 
    (Figure 1.4) and this unusual behavior is caused by the open structure of the regular 
    packing of water molecules in ice due to the network of hydrogen bonding in ice 

    which is more extensive than in liquid.

                            

    Ice floats on liquid water (Figure 10.5), this unusual behavior is caused by the open
    structure of the regular packing of water molecules in ice due to the network of 
    hydrogen bonding in ice which is more extensive than in liquid. The ice is less dense 

    than water reason why it floats in water.

                                   

    10.4.2. Triple point 

    The triple point of carbon dioxide is above atmospheric pressure. This means that 
    the state of liquid carbon dioxide does not exist at ordinary atmospheric pressure. 
    Dry ice remains as a solid below -78ºC and changes to fog (gas) above -78ºC. It 
    sublimes without forming liquid at normal atmospheric pressure (Figure 10.6). The 
    sublimation of carbon dioxide results in a low temperature which causes water 

    vapors in the air to form moist. 

                       

     Ice is stable below 0 ºC and water is stable between 0ºC and 100 ºC while water 
    vapor is stable above 100 ºC. At normal atmospheric pressure, ice can first melts and 

    ultimately boils as the temperature increases.

    Checking up 10. 4 

    1. Explain three ways that dry ice is different to the normal ice.
    2. Explain why the liquid phase is not observed in the dry ice as it sublimes, 
        whereas all three phases are observed in the ice?
    3. At temperature and pressure of 5ºC and 1atm (refer to both phase 
         diagram of  and  are normal ice and dry ice at the same phase? 
          Explain your reasoning. 
    4. Draw and label a phase diagram for water and carbon dioxide and 
         explain why they are different? 

    5. Explain the reason why a glass container breaks when water freezes.

     10.5. Applied aspect of phase diagrams

    Activity 10.5

    Engineers use diverse materials in construction of houses, bridges, etc. and in 
    making different other products such as cars, airplanes, computers, etc. Explain 
    if the knowledge of the phase diagrams of those materials the engineers use is 

    important to them.

    The applications of phase diagrams are useful for engineer’s materials and material 
    applications. The scientists and engineers understand the behavior of a system 
    which may contain more than one component. Multicomponent phase’s diagrams 

    show the conditions for the formation of solutions and new compounds. 

    The phase diagrams are applied in solidification and casting problems. Many materials 
    and alloy system exist in more than one phase depending on the conditions of 
    temperature, pressure and compositions. In the area of alloy development, phase 
    diagrams have proved invaluable for tailoring existing alloys to avoid over design 
    in current applications, each phase has different microstructure which is related 
    to mechanical properties. The development of microstructure is related to the 
    characteristics of phase diagrams. Proper knowledge and understanding of phase 
    diagrams lead to the design and control of heating procedures for developing the 

    required microstructure and properties.

    Phase diagrams are consulted when materials are attacked by corrosion. They 
    predict the temperature at which freezing or melting begins or ends. Phase 
    diagrams differentiate the critical point, triple point, normal boiling point, etc of 

    some substances.

    Examples

    • Zn-Fe based high-order phase diagrams have found a wide range of 
    applications in continuous galvanizing. 
    • The Zn-rich corner of the Zn-Fe-Al phase diagram is being used daily for 

    scientific interpretation of bath assays.

    In general the industrial applications of phase diagrams include alloy design, 

    processing, and performance.

    Checking up 10.5

    Do research and explain different applications of phase diagrams.

    10.6. End unit assessment

    1. At pressures lower than triple point, water cannot exist as liquid, 
           regardless of the temperature.
          a. True                                    b) False

    2. The melting point of water decreases as the pressure is augmented 
           because water contracts on freezing.
         a. True                                  b) False

    3. The melting point of carbon dioxide increases as the pressure is raised 
         because carbon dioxide expands on freezing.

         a). True                                                  b). False

    4. Use the following phase diagram of water to answer the questions 
         related:

    a. At a pressure of 1atmosphere, what is the normal freezing point of 
        water?
    b. What is the normal boiling point of water, at 1atmosphere of water?

    c. In Karisimbi, we live approximately 5,500 feet above sea level, which 
         means the normal atmospheric pressure is less than 1atm. In Karisimbi, 
         will water freeze at a lower temperature or a higher temperature than 
        at 1atmosphere?
    d. Will water boil at a higher or lower temperature, than at 1atmosphere?

    5. If we shake a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher on a cool day , we 
        can hear liquid  sloshing around inside the cylinder. However, the 
        cylinder appears to contain no liquid on a sweltering day,      
        Explain these observations.

    6. Observe the diagram below and answer the related question.

                         

    a. Explain what is labeled in the parts X, Y, Z, C and T
    b. Would the substance represented on this graph contract or expand when 
        it was frozen? Explain your answer.
    c. Describe what will happen to Y if the temperature is increased at constant 
         pressure.
    d. Explain what will happen to X if the pressure is much lowered at constant 
         temperature.

    7. The diagram below shows the variation of vapor pressure with temperature 

        for pure substance.

                    

    a. What sections represent liquid, gas, solid phases?
    b. What letter represents the triple point? Give the definition of the triple 
        point.
    c. What is the substance‘s normal boiling and melting point?
    d. Above which temperature it is not possible to liquefy the gas of the 
         substance, no matter how much pressure is applied?
    e. At a constant temperature, what would you do to cause this substance 

        to change from the liquid phase to the solid phase?

  • UNIT 11: SOLUTIONS AND TITRATION

        Key unit competency:

     Be able to prepare standard solutions and use them to determine concentration of 

    other solutions by titration.

    Learning objectives:
    • Define the terms standard solution and primary standard solution.
    • Explain the properties of a standard primary solution.
    • Explain the titration process, emphasising the need for precise measurements.
    • Prepare solutions with different concentrations.
    • Properly use the burettes, pipettes during titration.
    • Interpret the experimental data obtained by titration and report.
    • Carry out acid-base, redox titrations and do calculations involved.
    • Develop a team approach and a sense of responsibility in performing the 
       experiments of titration.
    • Respect of procedure in practical experiment.
    • Develop a culture of orderliness in performing practical experiments.

    • Appreciate the use of appropriate measurements in daily life.

      Introductory Activity

                 

    Observe the above photo and attempt the following questions:

    1. For the bottle of PRIMUS, and that of MUTZIG, we find on the bottle of its 
        labels 5% alcohol and 5.5% alcohol respectively.
    a. Explain the meaning of 5% and 5.5% alcohol.
    b. 5% alcohol corresponds to which volume of alcohol of the total 
        volume of 72cl of the bottle of PRIMUS.
    c. Calculate the volume of alcohol corresponding to 5.5% alcohol of the 
         bottle of MUTZIG of the total volume of 65cl.
    2 . On the label of the bottle of AGASHYA JUICE we find that dilution is 1:5. 

        Explain this ratio and explain also the purpose of diluting substances.

    11.1. Definition of standard solution and primary standard solution.

    Activity 11.1
    1. You have a bag full of rice. How do you determine its weigth?
    2. You have a jerrycan half-full of a liquid substance, how are you going to 
        proceed to know the exact quantity of the liquid?
    3. You are given a basic solution, NaOH (aq), and you are requested to 

          determine its concentration. What do you need to do that?

    In analytical chemistry, a standard solution is a solution containing a precisely known 
    concentration of an element or a substance and used to determine the unknown 
    concentration of other solutions. A known weight of solute is dissolved to make a 
    specific volume. It is prepared using a standard substance, such as a primary standard.

    A primary standard is defined as a substance or compound used to prepare standard 
    solutions by actually weighing a known mass, dissolving it, and diluting to a definite 

    volume.

    Or a substance, which is chemically stable in aqueous solution and its concentration 
    remains constant with change in time such that it can be used to standardize other 
    solutions. 

    Some important examples of primary standard are;
                   
    Standard solutions are normally used in titrations to determine unknown concentration 

    of another substance.

       Checking up 11.1

    Differentiate between standard solution and primary standard solution  

      11.2. Properties of a primary standard solution.     

      Activity 11.2
    Do research and find out the role and characteristics of a good primary standard.

    A good primary standard meets the following criteria:
    • High level of purity
    • High stability
    • Be readily soluble in water
    • High equivalent weight (to reduce error from mass measurements)
    • Not hygroscopic (to reduce changes in mass in humid versus dry environments)
    • Non-toxic
    • Inexpensive and readily available 
    • React instantaneously, stoichiometrically and irreversibly with other substances 
       i.e. should not have interfering products during titration.
    • It should not get affected by carbon dioxide in air
      Molar concentrations are the most useful in chemical reaction calculations because 
      they directly relate the moles of solute to the volume of solution. The formula for 

      molarity is:   

                   

    Checking up 11.2

    Discuss the properties of a good primary standard

    11.3. Preparation of standard solutions

    Activity 11.3

    Describe how you would prepare 1L of a 1M solution of sodium chloride. The gram 

    formula weight of sodium chloride is 58.5g/mol 

    The preparation of the solution requires a reagent that is so to say the quantity to be 
    weighed for mass if the reagent is in solid state ; The volume to be pipetted using 
    pipette if the solute is a liquid and then after dissolve it in water, So the solution can be 

    prepared by two methods such as dissolution method and dilution method.

    In the preparation of solution, glasses, volumetric flask, pipette, glass rod, measuring 
    cylinder, analytical balance, spatula, beakers, magnetic stirrer and other laboratory 

    devices are used.

    11.3.1. Preparation of standard solution by dissolution of solids

    Activity 11.3.1 

     Preparation of 250 mL of 1M NaOH solution

     Materials

    • Beaker                            - balance         - sodium hydroxide solid
    • Spatula                           - funnel           - glass rod

    • Volumetric flask          - stopper        - distilled water

    Procedure:
    i. Calculate the mass of sodium hydroxide needed 
    ii. Weigh a clean beaker, and record its mass  with   a clean spatula, add 
    sodium hydroxide until the combined mass of weighing beaker and 
    sodium hydroxide is 
    iii. Add about 50 cm3of distilled water, stir with a glass rod until all solids 
         have dissolved.
    iv. Pour all the solution carefully through a funnel into a volumetric flask; 
         wash all the solution out of the beaker and off the glass rod.
    v. Add distilled water until the level is about  below the graduation 
        mark on the graduated flask. Add the rest of distilled water from a washing 
        bottle until the bottom of the meniscus is at the level of mark when viewed 
        at eye level.
    vi. Insert the stopper of the flask and invert the flask several times to mix the 
         solution.
    vii. Label the solution.

    Scope: This method is applied for solute in solid state and you should be able to 
    determine the mass required from calculation to be weighed and provide distilled 

    water to dissolve the solute.

    Examples:

    1. Describe in details how you can prepare the following solution: 50 mL of NaOH, 10%.

    Answer:
    10% means that in 100 mL of solution only 10 g are pure in NaOH, So 50 mL of NaOH 
    will be prepared by taking the mass of NaOH, dissolving it in water and madding up to 

    50 ml.

                 

    Procedure:
    • Weigh 5g of NaOH accurately using glass watch, spatula and analytical balance.
    • Dissolve it in a volumetric flask of 50 mL containing already little water and mix 
       using a baguette and shake till you get homogeneous mixture (you should take 
       care since it is an exothermic reaction).
    • Top up using distilled water and shake again and cover your solution.

    • Label your solution: 10% NaOH; 50 mL and the date of preparation.

    2. Describe in details how you can prepare    solution.

    Answer:

    Step 1: Calculations

    Calculate the amount of anhydrous sodium carbonate required to be dissolved in 

     of solution. i.e.:

                 

    Step 2: Weighing
    • Weigh a clean empty beaker and record its mass, 
    • Using a clean spatula add the mass of pure anhydrous sodium carbonate equal 
         to the calculated mass. Let it be  
    • Actual mass of the carbonate transferred into the beaker = g

    Note: Not the entire sample gets transferred into the beaker since part of it sticks on 

                the walls of the weighing bottle.

    Step 3: Procedure
    • Using a wash bottle, carefully add about of distilled water. Stir using a 
      glass rod until the entire solid has dissolved.

    • Carefully pour all the solution through a filter funnel into a volumetric flask. Wash 
       off all the solution out of the beaker and off the glass rod; ensure that all the 
       washings run into the volumetric flask.

    • Add distilled water until the level of the volumetric is about 
     below the mark. Add the rest of the distilled water drop by drop using
     a dropping  
    pipette until the bottom of the meniscus is level with the 250cm3
     mark when viewed at eye level. 

    • Insert the stopper of the flask and invert the flask several times to mix the solution.

    Note: Since the concentration of solution has been determined, thus the 

    solution prepared is a standard solution.

       Checking up 11.3.1

    Describe in details, how you can prepare the following solutions:
    a. 
    b. 250 mL acidified potassium dichromate 1N

    c. 100 mL oxalic acid 5g/L. 

    11.3.2. Preparation of standard solution by dilution         

    Activity 11.3.2


    Materials
    • Measuring cylinder 
    • Volumetric flask
    • Stopper
    • Concentrated 

    • Distilled water

    Notice: Take care when mixing water and acid. When you mix acid with water, it is 
    extremely important to add the acid to the water rather than the other way around. 
    It is because acid and water react in a vigorous exothermic reaction, releasing heat, 
    sometimes boiling the liquid. If you add acid to water, the water is unlikely to splash 
    up, but even if it did, it is less likely to hurt you than if you add water to acid. When 

    water is added to acid, the water boils and the acid may splatter and splash.

    Apart from, dissolution method, we can prepare a solution by dilution from the stock 
    solution. This consists of reducing the concentration of a concentrated stock solution 
    to less concentrated solution by adding water.

    The rationale is how we can prepare the desired solution of concentration C, with the 
    volume V, from the stock solution whose concentration is .The question consists of 
    determination of the volume  to be pipetted from stock solution and diluted using .

    Xml of water to get V. So, from the conservation principle of matter, the quantity of the 

    solute before and after dilution should be the same.

           

           

           

    Procedure:
    • Pipette only 54.35 ml of sulphuric acid accurately using a pipette from a stock 
      solution.
    • Pour them gently in the flatted balloon of 1L containing already little water and 
       shake. Note that you should take much care since the reaction is exothermic 
        and sulphuric acid is harmful to skin remember that we pour acid to water 
        not water to acid that is A-W not W-A.

    • Top up to 1L using distilled water and shake again in order to homogenize the 
       solution.
    • Cover the solution, then label it:    and date of preparation.

    2. Calculate the volume of  that would be required to prepare 

                       

    Checking up 11.3.2

    A 0.2N solution was diluted by addition of 200 mL of water.
     Calculate the dilution factor if the solution is diluted from 0.2N to 0.05N.

     Determine the final volume of the solution after dilution.

    11.4. Simple acid-base titrations

    Activity 11.4

    You are provided with 

    Materials

    - Burette - Indicator (phenolphthalein)
    - Measuring cylinder - Washing bottle
    - Conical flask - Beakers

    - Retort stand - Funnel

    Procedure

    a. Using a pipette, transfer 10 mL of     into a conical flask. 
    b. Add three drops of phenolphthalein indicator and titrate it with 
       from the burette.
    c. Repeat the titration until you obtain consistent values.

    d. Record your readings in the table below:

         

    a. Calculate the average volume of  used.
    b. Calculate the number of moles of HCl that react with 
    c. Calculate the molarity of   in 10 mL.

    Titration is the controlled addition and measurement of the amount of a solution 
    of known concentration required to react completely with a measured amount of a 

    solution of unknown concentration.

    Acid-base titration

    It is the determination of the concentration of an acid or base by exactly neutralizing 

    the acid or base of known concentration

    Alkalimetry and acidimetry

    Alkalimetry is the specialized analytic use of acid-base titration to determine 
                                the concentration of a basic substance. 
    Acidimetry is the same concept of specialized analytic use of acid-base titration 

                              to determine the concentration of an acidic substance.


    Equivalence point

    The point at which the two solutions used in a titration are present in chemically 
    equivalent amount is the equivalence point. At this point the moles of two solutions 

    will be equal.

                 

    Indicators and pH-meters can be used to determine the equivalence point. The 
    point in a titration at which an indicator changes color is called the end-point of the 

    titration.

    Equipment's and set up (Figure 11.1) of materials for Titration

    The common equipment used in a titration are:

    • Burette
    • Pipette
    • pH-indicator/acid-base indicator
    • White tile: used to see a color change in the solution(a white paper can also be 
      used)
    • Conical flask (Erlenmeyer flask)
    • Titrant: a standard solution of known concentration 

    • Analyte: a solution of unknown concentration

                       

    How to perform titrations

    Knowing the use of pipette and burettes and how to handle them, the following points 

    are useful in order for a correct titration to be done:

    1. The apparatus should be arranged as shown in the above Figure.
    2. The burette tap is opened with the left hand and the right hand is used to
         shake the conical flask. 
    3. The equivalence-point is reached when the indicator just changes permanently
          the colour.
    4. At the end point, the level of the titrant is read on the burette
    5. The titration is now repeated, three more times are recommended. Towards 
        the end-point, the titrant is added dropwise to avoid overshooting. 

    Notice: Before titration, check if the tip of the burette is filled with the titrant, and doesn’t 
    contain bulb of air. If there is a bulb of air, a quick opening and closing of the tap will expel

    the air out of the burette.

    Choice of indicators in acid-base titrations

    When the technique of acid-base titration is extended to a wide variety of acidic and 
    alkaline solution, care needs to be taken about the choice of indicator for any given 

    reaction.

    The choice of an inappropriate indicator would lead to incorrect results, and it is 
    therefore extremely important that the indicator is chosen carefully.

    The principle on which a choice of indicator is made concerns the strength of the acid 
    or base involved in the reaction. Note that the strength of an acid or base is not to be 
    confused with the concentration of its solution. Example of strong and weak acids and 

    bases and choice of indicator are given in the Table below.

                                Table 11.1. Examples of strong/weak acids and bases

              

     Indicators which are suitable for particular types of acid-base titrations are given in 

     the Table 11.2.

          Table 11.2. Examples of indicators

         

              The results are summarized in a table as shown below.

                 Table 11.3. Sample results

         

            Notice:
                    • Burette readings should be written to two decimal places (for burette having 

                      precision up to hundredth)

    Average title should be obtained using values which differ not by more 

    . Consistent values :24.00 and 24.10

    Average volume  

    Examples: 
    1) Suppose 20.00 mL of     NaOH is required to reach the end-point in the 
    titration of 10.0 mL of HCl of unknown concentration. How can these titration data 

    be used to determine the molarity of the acidic solution.

    Answer:
    Begin with the balanced neutralization reaction equation. From the equation, 

    determine the chemically equivalent amount of HCl and NaOH. 

           

    Calculating the number of moles of NaOH used in the titration;

          

     

      

          

                Table 11.4. Burette readings
     

     Each value or entry in the table must be recorded or written to two decimal places.

    Different initial readings should be used. Initial reading in each experiment should be 

    correctly subtracted from the final reading. 

    Questions:

      

    Answer:

      

           

             

             

             11.5. Titration involving redox reactions

              Activity 11.5

    1. What does differentiate redox reactions from other reactions?

    2. Balance the following redox equations using half-equation method:

                

       11.5.1. Titrations with potassium manganate (VII); 

        Potassium manganate (VII),is a useful oxidizing agent in a sufficiently acidic 
    medium normally used in the reactions such as:
    • Oxidation of iron (II) to iron III
    • Oxidation of ethanedioate (oxalates) or oxalic acid to carbon dioxide.
    • Oxidation of nitrites to nitrates
    • Oxidation of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen, etc.
    During the reactions, the manganate (VII) ions, which is purple, is reduced to 
    manganese(II),  which is pale pink but practically colorless.
    Thus, titrations involving potassium manganate (VII), do not require an indicator. 
      acts as its own indicator.
    The end-point of titration is detected when the solution shows a permanent faint pink 
    color, which is as a result of slightly excess of potassium manganate (VII). 
    For reduction of the potassium manganate (VII) to be complete, sufficient acid should 
    be used and the solution added slowly, not rapidly. Use of insufficient acid results in 
    precipitation of manganese (IV) oxide, which appears as a brown precipitate. 
    The suitable acid for this process is sulphuric acid. Hydrochloric acid is unsuitable 
    because the  ion is a stronger oxidizing agent than it oxidizes the chloride 

    ion in the acid to molecular chlorine.


         Nitric acid is also not used to acidify the solution of potassium manganate (VII) since it 
         is also a powerful oxidizing agent. In potassium manganate (VII) titrations, an indicator 
        is used only when the reducing agent forms a colorless solution which makes it difficult 
        to observe the pink color.
        11.5.1. Titration of  by Potassium manganate (VII), 
          Ativity 11.5.1

        Balance the following redox equations using half-equations method:

        

    Most redox titration labs utilize an iron (II) salt, frequently iron (II) sulphate 
    heptahydrate.
    This compound is used for two reasons. First, it has a large molar mass, 
    making it a good (but not the best) primary standard. Second, its solution is near 
    colorless, so the pink/purple endpoint is easy to detect. Color proves to be an issue 
    when dealing with many other compounds. Iron (II) salts are an excellent choice for a 

    titration utilizing potassium permanganate.  

        

        

        Answer:

        Write balanced equation:

        
                       

             Answer
            Iron dissolves in dilute sulphuric acid by the reaction equation:
            
                   


             

             11.5.2. Titration of oxalic acid or oxalates by potassium manganate (VII)

                            Answer

              

              The reducing agent is the oxalate ion, Oxalic acid is a white crystalline 

               solid of formula 

    The reaction between the oxalate ion and manganate (VII) ion is kinetically slow at 
    temperature below Titrations at room temperature take too long time for the 
    purple color of the manganate (VII) ion to disappear. In the oxalate ion, carbon has the 
    oxidation state of +3; when reacted with potassium permanganate the oxidation state 
    changes into +4. Titrations involving the oxalates are a little more involved, but the 
    results were very good. The reaction below describes the overall redox reaction:

           

              

              Answer:

             Overall equation is:

              

               Procedure

                i. A fixed mass 2.4 g of calcite is weighed and dissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid
                ii. To this solution is then added ammonia solution until the solution is alkaline 
                     and this is followed by addition of ammonium ethanedioate (oxalate) to 

                     precipitate all calcium ions as calcium oxalate

             iii. The precipitate is then filtered off, washed and then dissolved in a minimum 
                   dilute sulphuric acid solution and then solution made up to in a 
                   volumetric flask with distilled water. 
           iv. of the resultant solution in (iii) is pipetted and to it is added 20 cm3
                 of diluted sulphuric acid and the mixture is heated to about 70 °C.

           v. The hot solution is then titrated with 0.02M potassium permanganate solution

           Results: of the oxalate solution required  of 0.02M   
                     solution  for complete reaction which is detected by the intense purple colour.
                        
                     a. Write down the overall equation for the above sequence of analysis

                     b. Calculate the percentage of purity of calcite 

             Answer:

             

                

    Checking up 11.5.2

                  

                  11.5.3. Titration of hydrogen peroxide by potassium manganate (VII), 

                   Activity 11.5.3

                     

    Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful reducing agent in the presence of a strong oxidizing 
    agent such as potassium permanganate. For this reason dilute concentrations of both 
    compounds must be used. A common laboratory experimentally determines the 
    concentration of commercially sold hydrogen peroxide (about 3%) via titration with 
    potassium permanganate (usually prepared to be approximately 0.02 M). Concentrated 

    solutions of these reactants will react explosively and must be avoided.

                   

                   Example:

              

              

                 Answer

                Write the balanced equation

                 

                   

    Note: The advantages of potassium permanganate as oxidizing agent are:
    i. It acts as its own indicator (i.e. purple color)
    ii. The crystals are obtained at high state of purity
    iii. The crystals are anhydrous and not deliquescent 
    iv. It has a fairly high relative molecular mass
    v. A wide range of substances can be oxidized by it.

     However, potassium permanganate has disadvantages:
    i. The crystals are not very soluble in water
    ii. The compound is decomposed by the light
    iii. The compound is reduced by water and organic matter from atmosphere

    iv. The meniscus of the solution may be difficult to see 

    Checking up 11.5.3

        

        11.5.4. Titration with potassium dichromate 

        Activity 11.5.4

    Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using  as an oxidizing agent in titration.

    Potassium dichromate (VI) unlike potassium manganate (VII) is a primary standard. In 
    the titration of potassium dichromate (VI), the color change is from orange to green
    and this makes it not possible to detect the sharp end-point.

     Thus, an indicator is necessary for this reaction. Therefore redox indicator such as 
    barium diphenylamine sulphonate must be used, which changes its colour to blue at 

    the end point.       

    Potassium dichromate (VI) is a weaker oxidizing agent than potassium manganate (VII). 
    As such it cannot oxidize the chloride ion to chlorine, and therefore hydrochloric acid 
    in addition to sulphuric acid can be used to acidify solution of potassium dichromate 

    (VI).    

    The reactions of potassium dichromate (VI) are similar to those of potassium manganate 
    (VII), however at the end-point the color is green due to the presence of chromium 

    (III) ions that is;

              

        a. Determination of the concentration of iodide ions.

       Since iodide ions can be oxidized to molecular iodine by dichromate (VI) ion, 

       potassium dichromate (VI) can be used as a primary standard in this reaction.

           

          The amount of iodine liberated in the reaction is determined by titrating it against a 

          standard solution of sodium thiosulphate using starch indicator.

     b. Analysis of iron (II) salts 

         

          Overall equation is:

            

     c. Analysis of nitrite salts

           

    Advantages of  over 

     Unlike is used as a primary standard i.e. it can always be obtained pure; 
    it is stable under ordinary conditions, its aqueous solution can be stored for long time 

    if sufficiently protected from evaporation.

    Examples 2 :

              

              Answer:

                    

        Examples 2:

               

                Answer:

               Write balanced equation

                 

           Checking up 11.5.4

           

            11.5.5. Titrations involving sodium thiosulphate and iodine

             Activity 11.5.5

              

              Sodium thiosulphate is a white crystalline solid with the formula
              It is not a primary standard as the water content of the crystals is variable. 
              The solid acts as a reducing agent in a redox reaction and the reducing agent being the 

               thiosulphate ion,

               

     However, the thiosulphate ion is very sensitive to acid (weak or strong). In presence 
    of an acid (hydrogen ions), it decomposes to sulphur dioxide and elemental sulphur 

    (which settles as a yellow precipitate). 

            

    Therefore, solutions of sodium thiosulphate should never be acidified. 

    The thiosulphate ions reduce iodine according to the reaction below:

             

    Overall equation is:

               

    a. Detection of the end point:

    In titrations involving iodine and sodium thiosulphate, starch is normally used as an 

    indicator.

    Addition of the starch produces iodine-starch complex which is blue. Further drop 
    by drop addition of the thiosulphate solution is continued until the solution turns 
    colorless which marks the end point of titration.

    Thiosulphate titration has important applications in the laboratory and water 
    treatment plants.

    Potassium iodate (V), potassium dichromate (VI), iodine, potassium manganate (VII) 
    solutions can be used to standardize sodium thiosulphate solutions.
    For example, potassium iodate (V) reacts with iodide ions in presence of an acid to 

    liberate iodine. 

              

       The liberated iodine is then titrated against standard sodium thiosulphate using the 

       starch indicator.

                 

     b. Preparation of starch solution:

    0.5g of soluble starch powder is mixed with water into a thin smooth paste which is 
    then poured into of boiling water. The mixture is then boiled after for about a 
    minute. The solution is then cooled and used when still fresh.

    But starch solution may be preserved by addition of few crystals of mercuric iodide. 

    Example 1 :

              

     Answer:      

        

              

    Example 2 :

    A weighed sample of impure solid potassium iodate (V) of 0.80g is dissolved in 
    water and made up to   of solution in a volumetric flask.   of this 
    solution is reacted with excess potassium iodide solution, to liberate iodine. 
    Find the percentage of the purity of potassium iodate (V). In the titration, 
      sodium thiosulphate were needed to react with the liberated 

    iodine.

    Answer:

    Write balanced equations:

               

               

      c. Finding the percentage of copper in copper ore or in its salt 

      There are two possible methods depending on the copper ore (or salts).

    a. In the first method which is applicable to any copper salt, a solution of excess 
        potassium iodide is added to a solution of the copper salt. A dark brown mixture 
        is produced (white precipitate stained brown). The brown colour is due to iodine 

        liberated.

          

      The iodine liberated in the reaction is now titrated with a standard solution of sodium 

    thiosulphate in the second reaction according to the following equation.

             

     b. The second applicable method is to liberate iodine from iodate (V) ions, then titrate 

           it with thiosulphate ions as indicated by the following equations: 

              

    Examples:

     An experiment was carried out in a laboratory to determine the percentage of copper 
    in sample of impure copper metal. Nitric acid was added to a sample of impure 
    copper metal. The resulting copper (II) nitrate was reacted with excess of potassium 
    iodide. The iodine liberated was titrated with a solution of sodium thiosulphate of 
    concentration 0.480M. The volume of sodium thiosulphate required was 

    Use the following equations in your calculations.

             

    Answer:

              

    d. Determination of the percentage of available chlorine in a liquid

    The method consists of measuring a fixed volume of the original liquid and then dilute 
    it to with distilled water. Aliquot portions of this solution is pipetted and added 

    to an excess of KI solution acidified with ethanoic acid.

    The iodine liberated is then titrated, for example, with a standard solution of sodium 
    thiosulphate. This is a displacement (redox) reaction in which, aqueous potassium 
    iodide reacts with chlorine to form potassium chloride and iodine. The equation for 

    the reaction is:

              

    Examples:

    1. Concentration of chlorine in treated water for domestic use can be monitored by 
    testing water samples. In one such test, excess potassium iodide (KI) was added to 
      sample of water.
           

       
    Answer:
            

    Reducing agent is I-(iodide ions)

    c. Equations:

         

    In the above reaction, chlorine underwent both oxidation and reduction, hence it is a 
    disproportionation reaction.
    e. Starch solution, which changes colour from white to blue black.

    Determination of the percentage of available chlorine in bleaching powder.

    Procedure:
    Solution was made by weighing 2.5g of bleaching powder. This is stirred in a little 
    water and the supernatant milk suspension poured into volumetric flask.
    The solid residue is then mixed again with little water and the fine suspension decanted 
    into the volumetric flask.
    This process is continued until most of the sample has been transferred.

    The solution is then made up to  mark. 

     The flask is then shaken vigorously and immediately 
     of the suspension in pipetted into a clean conical flask. 
     of 2M sulphulic acid or 2M ethanoic acid is added followed by 
     of 0.5M potassium iodide. The liberated iodine is then titrated with solution FA2

     which is 0.1M sodium thiosulphate solutions using starch indicator.

    Specimen results:

         

        

       Calculations:

        b. Calculate the number of moles of available chlorine in 
       c. Calculate the mass of the available chlorine in the sample of bleaching 
           powder weighed.

      d. Hence calculate the percentage of available chlorine bleaching powder.

     Theory:

      

        Number of moles of iodine is equal to the amount of chlorine set free.

       Answers:

        

    Checking up 11.5.5

                 

                      

                     

    11.6. Back titration

            Activity 11.6

    Do research and explain the term back titration and discuss the applications of back 

    titration.

    This is a technique of determining the concentration of an unknown substance by 
    calculating backwards. In this case a known amount of a titratable reagent (substance) 
    X in excess amount is reacted with an unknown amount of substance Y to give products 
    and at the end of the reaction, the excess of X is titrated with a standard solution of 

    substance Z and this allows to determine the amount of Y that has reacted.

    Applications of back titration:

    1. Analysis of calcium carbonate materials (Examples: limestone, marble……..)
    2. Determination of percentage of ammonia in an ammonium salt.

    3. Determination of concentration of chromates and iodides in redox titration.

    Example 1 :

         

        Answer: 

        Step 1: Write balanced equations

            

    Step 2: Calculate initial number of moles of HCl

               

    Step 3: Calculate number of HCl in excess solution

            

    Step 4: Moles of HCl which reacts = 0.024- 0.008= 0.016mol

                  Initial moles of reactants = 0.024mol 

                   Number of moles in excess= 0.008mol

    Step 5: Number of moles of HCl which react with  

                      

    Example 2:

     50cm3 of 0.45M hydrochloric acid solution were added to 
     of sodium hydroxide solution and the resultant solution on titration required           
     of 0.2M sodium hydroxide solution for complete reaction. Calculate the:

    a. Number of moles of hydrochloric acid that reacted with original sodium 
         hydroxide solution.

    b. Molarity of the original sodium hydroxide solution.

    Answer:

           

    Total number of moles of HCl:

           

       Example 3:  

                 

    Answer:

                a. Equation:

                

        b. of the resultant solution contain 0.00478mole of NaOH   

               

        c. NaOH reacts with  Cl as shown below:

            

          

       d. From the reaction in (c) above

             

    Checking up 11.6

               

       11.7. Applications of titration

    11.7.1. Determination of the number of moles of water of crystallization

    Activity 11.7.1

    Do research and explain the term water of crystallization
    Water of crystallization is defined as that definite amount of water
    which a substance 
    associate with on crystallizing out of an aqueous solution.
    Many crystals cannot form without the presence of water i.e. water of hydration.

    Examples of some hydrated substance
    s

                    

    a. Weighing method

    This method is preferably used when the crystals are neutral, and they cannot react 

    with acid or basic solution.

    Procedure:

        

     • Weigh the mass of a clean dry crucible with lid.
    • Two or three grams of hydrated are added and the whole set up is 
       weighed.
    • The crucible, lid and the content are heated on a pipe-clay triangle on a tripod 
      stand, gently at first and later strongly, to drive off water of crystallization.
    • The set up is allowed to cool in a dessicator (to exclude moisture) and 
       reweighed.
    • Heat again the crucible, lid and content and then cool as before and weigh 
      again.
    • Repeat the process of heating, cooling and reweighing until a constant mass is 
       reached which shows that all water has been expelled.
    • Using calculations, it is possible to get x moles of water of crystallization found 

       in one mole of substance. See the following example:

    Example:

    4.99g of hydrated copper (II) sulphate,   was strongly heated until 
    all water of crystallization was eliminated. The mass of anhydrous copper 
    sulphate was found to be 3.19g. Calculate the number of moles of water of 
    crystallization contained in one mole of (Cu = 63.5, S = 32, O 

    =16, H = 1)

    Answer:

             

    b. Using titration

           

    Answer


    Checking up 11.7.1

             

     11.7.2. Determination of atomic masses 

    Activity 11.7.2

    4.99g of hydrated copper (II) sulphate,  was strongly heated until 
    all water of crystallization was eliminated. The mass of anhydrous copper 
    sulphate was found to be 3.19g. Determine the number of moles of water of 

    crystallization(x).

    It is possible to find the atomic mass of the metal atom in titrating a basic compound 

    which reacts with acidic solution.

    Example:

         

    Answer:

               

        

    Checking up 11.7.2

            

    11.8. End Unit Assessment

             1. Explain the following terms:
             a. Standard solution

             b. Primary standard.

    2. Describe the characteristics of a primary standard.

           

            

            a. Calculate the value of x in the formula
           b. Calculate the value of y in the formula
           c. Calculate the value of z in the formula
           d. Calculate the molecular mass of the oxalate

           e. Calculate the number of water of crystallization n.

           

              

              

               

               

  • UNIT 12: CONDUCTIVITY OF SOLUTIONS

         Key unity competence: 

    To be able to: Explain the effect of different factors on the molar conductivity of 

    different electrolytes and the applications of conductivity measurements.

    Learning objectives:

    • Explain the conductivity of solutions.
    • State and explain the factors that affect molar conductivity of solutions.
    • State Kohlrausch’s law of individual molar conductivity.
    • Use Kohlrausch’s law to calculate the molar conductivity of an electrolyte.
    • Interpret a graph of molar conductivity against concentration for both weak 
      and strong electrolytes.
    • Compare and contrast metallic conductivity and electrolytic conductivity.
    • Develop a team approach and responsibility in performing experiments.
    • Appreciate the contributions of other scientists like Kohlrausch’s law in 
       calculation of molar conductivity of solutions.

    • Respect the procedure in performing experiment.

    12.1. Conductance of electrolytic solutions

         Introductory activity

         

         The above set up is made by 

            1. Solution of sodium hydroxide 
            2. Oranges containing citric acid 
            3. Solution of sugar
     Carry out the three experiments as illustrated on the picture and answer to the 

      related questions.

    1. compare the intensities of lights in set up 1,2 and 3
    2. Why there is no light in set up three ?
    3. What do you think are the main cause of bulbs light in set up 2 ?

    4. Why the light in the setup 1 and 2 are different?

    Activity 12.1: 

    You have certainly heard about people being accidently electrocuted when 

    bathing at home; can you explain?

    The conductance of material or solution is the property of materials due to which 
    a material allows the flow of ions or electrons through itself and thus conducts 
    electricity. It is generally defined as the reciprocal of resistance of that material. SI 
    unit of conductance is  (Siemens), named after the 19th century German

    engineer and industrialist Ernst Werner von Siemens. It used to be called the mho
     which is just ohm written backwards because the resistance is expressed in 
    (Ohm)The symbol for conductance is L or G. Thus G = 1/R. R = V/I so 

    conductance is just the inverse of R: G = I/V.


    The conductance of a material depends on the nature of material, number of valence
    electrons for a material and temperature. Metals are good conductors of electricity 
    due to number and the mobility of their valence electrons. We observe that the 

    conductance of materials decreases with increase the temperature.

    Water in its pure state is known to be nonconductor because there are very little ions 
     The presence of electrolytes further enhances the conductivity as they supply their ions 
    to the solution. The conductance of electricity by ions present in the solutions is called 

     electrolytic or ionic conductance.

    The conductance is the inverse of resistance, therefore it is determined by calculating 

    the resistance of the electrolytic solution or using the conductance cell (Figure 12.1)

                               

         Source B.S, BAHL essentials of physical chemistry, page 476

    Equivalent conductance is again called conductivity (Λ) which is the ability of a 
    solution to conduct electric charges, it is measured in 

    (Table 12.1)

    Table 12.1: Electrochemical properties, their symbols and units

                  

             Source: B.S BAHL(2000),essentials of physical chemistry, Page 697

           Checking up 12.1 

              a. Define conductivity
              b. What is the difference between conductance and resistance?  

    Conductivity: Definition and description

    Conductivity of a substance is defined as the ability or power to conduct or transmit 
    heat, electricity, or sound›. Its units are Siemens per meter [S/m] in SI and milliohms 

    per centimeter [m mho/cm] in U.S. customary units. 

    12.2. Measurement of conductivity of solutions

       Activity 12.2

    1. Refer to daily activity usage in electricity domain what are the objects 
        used to measure the voltage?
    2. Refer to introductory activity above, how will you know that a solution 

         is conducting or not?

    The conductivity is the reciprocal of the resistance (1/R) and is measured in Siemens 

    or mhos.

    Conductivity measurements are used routinely in many industrial 
    and environmental applications as a fast, inexpensive and reliable way of measuring 
    the ionic content in a solution. For example, the measurement of conductivity 
    is a typical way to monitor and continuously trend the performance of  water 

    purification systems.

    Electrical conductivity meter

                 

    Principle of the measurement

    The electrical conductivity of a solution of an electrolyte is measured by determining 
    the resistance of the solution between two flat or cylindrical electrodes separated 
    by a fixed distance.  An alternating voltage is used in order to avoid electrolysis. The 
    resistance is measured by a conductivity meter. Typical frequencies used are in the 
    range 1–3kHz. The dependence on the frequency is usually small, but may become 
    appreciable at very high frequencies.

    A wide variety of instrumentation is commercially available. There are two types of 
    cell, the classical type with flat or cylindrical electrodes and a second type based 
    on induction. Many commercial systems offer automatic temperature correction. 
    Tables of reference conductivities are available for many common solutions. 

    The conductivity of an electrolyte is the conductance of a volume of solution 
    containing one mole of dissolved electrolyte placed between two parallel 
    electrodes 1dm apart and large enough to contain between them all the solution; 

    the conductivity is affected by temperature.

    Checking up 12.2

    Describe the functioning of conductivity meter and derive the formula of 

    calculation of conductivity.

    12.3. Specific conductivity of solutions

    Activity 12.3:

    1. Define resistivity
    2. Establish a relation between conductivity and resistivity and among the 
        following substances, which ones areconductors and non-conductors, 
        for each you have to explain why they are or not conductors: pure 
        water, sugar, iron plate, clothes, plastic bags, ammonia solution, salt 

        solution, etc…

    Specific Conductivity (better known as specific conductance) is the measure of 
    the ability of that material to conduct electricity. It is represented by the symbol “К”. 
    Hence, by definition, the specific conductance (specific conductivity), κ (kappa) is 
    the reciprocal of the specific resistance. The SI unit of conductivity is Siemens per 

    meter (S/m).

                    

    Specific conductivity or conductivity of an electrolytic solution at any given 
    concentration is the conductance of one unit volume of solution kept between 
    two platinum electrodes with the unit area of cross section and at a distance 

    of unit length. What is the difference between Conductance and Conductivity?

    Conductance depends on the dimensions of the conductor, but conductivity does
       not depend on the dimensions.

    . Conductance is measured in Siemens while conductivity is measured in Siemens per meter.

    Checking up 12.3

          

          12.4. Molar conductivity of solutions

           Activity 12.4:

    Refer to experiment done in the activity one (introductory activity) repeat the 
    same experiment at different concentration 1M of NaCl and 2M of NaCl, explain 

    how the intensity of light change with concentration

    The molar conductivity of a solution at any given concentration is the 
    conductance of the volume of solution containing one mole of electrolyte kept 
    between two electrodes with the unit area of cross section and distance of unit 
    length. In general terms, it is defined as the ratio of specific conductivity and the 

    concentration of the electrolyte. 

                

    Molar conductivity of electrolytes increases with dilution. Friedrich Kohlrausch, 
    in 1900, experimentally found that:                                                                                                 are the molar conductivity at a given concentration and at infinite dilution
    respectively, b is a constant depending on the viscosity of the solvent
    and c is the concentration.

    Example: 

    Table 12.1: Variation of conductivity in terms of concentration at different temperatures

            

    This table shows that the conductivity increases with increasing concentration and 

    temperature.

    12.4.1. Strong electrolytes

    For strong electrolyte, molar conductivity increases steadily with dilution until it 
    reaches the maximum value at infinite dilution (at high concentration, the lower 
    conductivity values are due to ionic interference. The formation of ionic pairs or 
    triplet and symmetrical spheres greatly reduces the mobility of ions however as 
    the dilution increases, there is reduced ionic interference as result of many solvent 
    molecules surrounding the oppositely charged ions thus an increase in molar 
    conductivity.

    At infinite, there is independent migration of ions that is ions experience negligible 
    ionic interference and move independent of each other. 

    The molar conductivities of strong electrolytes are high. This is because, by nature, 
    strong electrolytes are highly dissociated when molten or when in solution into 
    large number of ions. These ions are mobile, hence they migrate to the electrodes, 
    resulting in the high conduction of electricity: the higher the number of ions are 

    free in solution, the higher the conductivity.

                                                                    

    This graph can be obtained by extrapolation of the graph to zero concentration.

    12.4.2. Weak electrolytes

    Weak electrolytes show partial dissociation in solution, producing few ions, which 
    results in low conduction of electricity. 

    A weak electrolyte dissociates to a much lesser extent so its conductance is lower 

    than that of a strong electrolyte at the same concentration.

                              

    The very large increase at infinite dilution is because the ionization increases and so 
    the number of ions in solution increases. The value of cannot be obtained 
    by extrapolation as can be seen on the graph. It is obtained by applying Kohlrausch’s 

    law (see later).

    Summary:

    The higher the number of ions per unit volume in solution, the greater the 
    conductivity of the electrolytic solution. This means that the conductivity 
    increases with concentration of ions in solution up to an optimum level over 
    which it starts decreasing.

    • On the other hand when the conductivity has decreased due to very high 
    concentration of ions, it can be increased with dilution (i.e. lower concentrations) 
    up to its optimum, beyond which further dilution will decrease conductivity.

    • The decrease or increase of conductivity by concentrating or diluting the 
    solution is sharp in strong electrolytes while it is gradual in weak electrolytes. 
    The following graph shows.
                   
       
    Λ values for strong electrolytes are larger than weak electrolytes for the same 
       concentration. 
    • Increase Λ for strong electrolyte is quite small as compared to that for weak 
       electrolyte towards dilution.

    The table below shows the trend in conductivity with dilution for a strong and a 
     weak acid.

                                                Table 12.2. Trends in conductivity
         
         
     Explanation of Increase in Conductivity with Dilution:

    With increase in dilution (decrease in concentration), ions become farther apart, and 
    inter-ionic forces (i.e. forces of attraction between unlike ions and forces of repulsion 
    between like ions) decrease considerably, so that greater number of ions are able to 
    migrate to the electrodes. In addition, due to change in equilibrium, the electrolyte 
    undergoes further ionization from the same mass in solution (in order to balance 

    the effect). Hence, more ions (conducting species) are introduced into the solution

    12.5. Molar conductivity at infinite dilution 

    Kohlrausch’s law of independent migration of ions states that “at infinite dilution, 
    where ionization of all electrolytes is complete and where all interionic effects 
    are absent, the molar conductivity of an electrolyte is the sum of the molar 

    conductivities of its constituent ions at constant temperature”

     According to the law, the molar conductivity of KCl at infinite dilution
      is presented as:
       

      

    Some values of conductivity at infinite dilution 

    Example 1

    The molar conductivity of chloride ion is   What is the 
    molar conductivity of sodium ions given that the molar conductivity of NaCl is 


    Answer:

    According to Kohlrausch’s law,

                 

    Examples 2

           

    Answer
            

    Example 3

    calculate the molar conductance of aqueous  solution at infinite dilution

    Given

           

    Checking up 12.4

            

            12.6. Factors that affect molar conductivity of solutions 

             Activity 12.5. 

       Compare the conductivities of the following solutions and explain why they are 

        different 

           

         1. Temperature

    The increase of temperature decreases inter-ionic attractions and increases kinetic 
    energy of ions and their speed. Thus,  increases with temperature.

    2. Concentration of the solution
    The concentrated solutions of strong electrolytes have significant interionic 
    attractions which reduce the speed of ions and lower the value of The dilution 
    decreases such attractions and increases the value of 

    3. Nature of electrolyte
    The strong electrolytes like  etc are completelyionized in aqueous 
    solution and have high values of molar conductivity. The weak electrolytes are ionized 
    to a lesser extent in aqueous solution and have lower values of molar conductivity. 
    Solvents of high dielectric constant yield more conducting solution. The viscosity is 
    inversely proportional to the conductance.

    4. Ionic charge and size
    Generally, the ions move at very low speeds. The velocities of hydrogen ions and 
    hydroxyl ions are relatively high. They contribute greatly to high conductivities of 

    aqueous solutions of strong acids and alkalis.

    The differences in speeds of ions under similar conditions are as a result of their 
    difference in charge and size.

    a. Ionic charge 
    Multiple charged ions get strongly attracted to the oppositely charged electrode. 
    This increases their speeds compared to singly charged ions.
     

    b. Ionic size
    Velocities of smaller ions are higher than those of larger ions of the same charge. 
    This is because larger ions meet many obstacles compared to small ones. However, 
    as ions exist in aqueous solution in a solvated form, the radius of the hydrated 
    ion is considerably larger than the crystal radius. Small ions get more hydrated 
    than larger ones due to high charge density. This reverses the expected order of 
    ionic velocities. Thus for group 1cations, the ionic radius increases in the order
    and the electric mobility increases in the same order 
    This is because of the effect of hydration.
    This explains why lithium ions have a lower molar ionic conductivity than potassium ions.

    5. Pressure

    The molar conductance increases slightly with increase in pressure.

    Checking up 12.5  

                

                Experiment 

    • Take two irish potatoes and wash them 
    • In each you have to fix the nail after you have to fix the irish potatoes on 
       the bench by using the glue 
    • Take a bulb (with two electrodes positive and negative)
    • Fix also the bulb with connecting wires on the bench using also the glue
    • Take the second extremity of each wire ( because the first is connected on 
        the bulb) and connect it on the nail fixed in the Irish potatoe

    • Observe the phenomenon that will happen.

    12.7. Kohlrausch’s law of individual molar conductivity

          Activity 12.6.

      a. Given the following substances    
           Order those substances in their level of conductivity

      b. among the conductors how can you compare the conductivities

        

    Example 1

         

    Solution

                 

    12.7.2. Relation between molar conductivity, degree of ionization and 

    ionization constant

             Activity 12.6.1

    1. Define the following terms:
        b. Degree of ionization 
        a. Ionization constant
     2. Establish the relation of calculation of ionization constant
     3. Explain why there is a relation between ionization constant and the 

          molar conductivity 

    At infinite dilution, the electrolyte is completely ionized and all the ions take part 
    in conducting the current. At appreciable concentration, only a fraction of the 

    electrolyte is ionized and the degree of ionization of the electrolyte is given as

            

          

    From the above equations, also the pH of the solution can be calculated. 

    For example, for a weak acid such as ethanoic acid,

         

    Checking up 12.6

                

           12.8. Use of conductivity measurement in titration and solubility product

           Activity 12.7. 

    1. What do you understand by the term titration?
    2. While titrating a solution of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid, 
        explain how the concentration of ions change in the mixture.
    3. What is solubility?
    4. Define solubility product.

    You have a glass of water. You add sugar or salt to dissolve. What will happen if 
    you continue to add sugar or salt? Can you explain?
    1. What are the factors that influence solubility of a substance 
    2. Give an example of a substance which is insoluble or sparingly soluble 
    3. What is the relation between solubility of a substance and 
        concentration
    4. Explain at which degree a sparingly soluble substance conduct 

         electricity

    12.8.1. Using conductivity to find the end point of a titration
    The end-point in titration experiment can be determined using conductivity. The 

    procedure of the technique is:

    At the start of this titration  the  conical flask  contains a  strong  alkali  that 
    is  fully ionized  in water. If  electrodes  are placed inside the  conical flask 
    the  ions  in the water will  conduct electricity  and a  current  will flow.
    The more ions there are the better the conductivity and the higher the current will 
    be. The  current  can be measured using an  ammeter. As  acid  is added to 
    the alkali hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions react together to form water molecules.
    The number of ions in the conical flask starts to decrease and the current flowing 
    through the solution will  decrease. At  neutralization  all of the  hydrogen 
    ions  and  hydroxide  ions have  reacted  together to form water molecules.
    The  neutral  solution contains only  salt  ions  dissolved in water molecules. The 
    solution will still conduct electricity because of the salt ions but the current will be 
    at a minimum. As more acid is added the current will start to increase because there 
    will now be unreacted hydrogen ions in the solution as well as the  salt  ions. The 

    solution is now no longer neutral but has become acidic.

    If you draw a graph of current against the amount of acid added you can see where 

    the minimum is. This is the end point of the titration at neutralization.

                           

    12.8.2. Determination of solubility product by conductivity measurement.

    Solubility product,  Ksp, is the mathematical  product  of its dissolved ion 
    concentrations raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients. Solubility 
    products  are relevant when a sparingly soluble ionic compound releases ions 
    into solution. That is the product of the concentration of ions in the solution which 
    are in equilibrium with the solid ion. These concentrations can be determined via 

    conductivity measurements, consider the following examples :

                           

    The measurement of conductivity will depend on the value of Ksp for the sparingly 
    soluble substances. 
    The measurement of the specific conductivity, K of the saturated solution leads to 

    a value of the concentration.

                           

                     

                  

                

                 

                 12.9. Difference between metallic conductivity and electrolytic conductivity

                  Activity. 12.8

    Make an experiment by connecting a bulb to the batteries by using an electric 
    wire .After you have attempted that experience, compare the results seen 
    and the results you’re the introductory activity and answer to the following 
    questions.

    a. What do you think are conductors of electricity in the two experiments 
        (separately)
    b. Compare the reaction after 20 minutes, what is the difference between 

         the intensity of lights in the two experiments 

    The substances, which allow the passage of electric current, are called conductors
    The best metal conductors are such as copper, silver, tin, etc. On the other hand, 
    the substances, which do not allow the passage of electric current through them, 
    are called non-conductors or insulators. Some common examples of insulators are 
    rubber, wood, wax, etc.

    The conductors are broadly classified into two types, Metallic and electrolytic 

    conductors.

      

     The electrolyte may, therefore, be defined as the substance whose aqueous solution 
    or fused state conducts electricity accompanied by chemical decomposition. The 
    conduction of current through electrolyte is due to the movement of ions. On the 
    contrary, substances, which in the form of their solutions or in their molten state do 

    not conduct electricity, are called non-electrolytes.

    Checking up 12.9 

    In the experiment, a student was investigating the intensity of light
    In the beaker A where there was HCl solution the intensity of light was high
    In beaker B where there was ethanol there was no light. 
    Using the plastic bag the was no light but using the copper wires there was the 
    intensity of light. Explain why the change in intensities of light in the above 

    experiment.

               

                

                   

                     

                    

  • UNIT 13 : ELECTROLYSIS

         Key unit competence

     Predict the products of given electrolytes during 
     electrolysis and work out quantitatively to determine how much is liberated at a 

     given electrode using Faraday’s law.  

    Learning Objectives:

    • Define electrolysis, cathode and anode.
    • Explain the electrolysis of different substances.
    • State Faraday’s laws and define the Faraday’s constant.
    • Develop practical experimental skills related to electrolysis, interpret results, 
       and draw valid conclusions.
    • Carry out a practical activity to explain the phenomenon of electrolysis.
    • Compare the electrolysis of dilute solutions and concentrated solutions.
    • Calculate the masses and volumes of substances liberated during electrolysis.
    • Relate the nature of electrode, reactivity of metal ion in solution to the 
       products of electrolysis.

    • Perform electroplating of graphite by copper metal

    Introductory activity

    Observe carefully the figure below and answer the following question. Record your 

    answer and discuss them.

                

     1. Label the set up and give the name of this Experiment.

    2. Suggest how water can be decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen.

      13.1. Definition of electrolysis and Description of electrolytic 

                   cells.

      Activity 13.1:

     A.
        1. In one case, you have a source of water at the top of a hill and you want 
             to supply water to a community in the valley down the hill
        2. In another case, you have a community at the top of a hill and you 
             want to supply water to the community from a source located in the valley 
            down. Students in groups discuss how they would proceed to supply water 
            to the communities in the above two cases. 
     B. Why do we cook food by heating?
    C. What is the difference between a spontaneous reaction and a non
         spontaneous reaction?

    D. Have you heard about electrolysis? If yes, can you say what it is about?

         1.Definition of electrolysis.

    A spontaneous reaction is a reaction that favors the formation of products without 
    external energy. It is a process that will occur on its own. For example, a ball will 
    roll down an incline, water will flow downhill, radioisotopes will decay, and iron will 
    rust. No intervention is required because these processes are thermodynamically 
    favorable.

    A non spontaneous reaction (also called an unfavorable reaction) is a chemical 
    reaction that necessitates external energy to occur. For example, without an 
    external energy source, water will remain water forever. Under the right conditions, 
    using electricity (direct current) will help to produce hydrogen gas and oxygen gas 
    from water. Cooking foods is not spontaneous reaction that is why heat is used.

    Electrolyte: Sodium chloride is an ionic compound in which ions arrange themselves 
    in a rigid cubic lattice when in solid state. In this state, it cannot allow electric current 
    to pass through it. However, when it is melted, or dissolved in water, the rigid lattice 
    is broken, ions are free to move and electric current can pass. Therefore, it is classified 
    as an electrolyte.

    Substances which cannot allow the flow of electric current when in molten or 
    in solution are referred to as non-electrolytes. When electric current (direct 
    current) flows through an electrolyte, it decomposes it. This phenomenon is called 

    electrolysis.

    Thus electrolysis is the decomposition of an electrolyte by passage of an electric 
    current through it. Therefore for electrolysis to take place, there must be a source 
    of direct current. The direct current is conveyed from its source to the electrolyte 
    by means of a metallic conductor and electrodes. The electrode connected to the 
    positive terminal of the direct current is called the anode and the one connected to 
    the negative terminal is the cathode. By convention, the electric current enters the 

    electrolyte by the anode and leaves by the cathode.

    When the current passes through an electrolytic solution, ions migrate and electrons 
    are gained or lost by ions on the electrodes surface. Electrode that is positively 
    charged has deficit of electrons is called anode and the other electrode negatively 
    charged has excess of electrons and is called cathode. Chemical changes at the 

    electrodes due to the passage of electric current are called electrolysis.

    2. Description of electrolytic cells. 

    An electrolytic cell is an electrochemical cell that drives a non-spontaneous redox 
    reaction through the application of external electrical energy. They are often used to 
    decompose chemical compounds, in a process called electrolysis . The Greek word 

    lysis means to break up.

    Important examples of electrolysis are the decomposition of water into hydrogen 
    and oxygen, production of sodium metal, Na, from molten NaCl, production of 
    aluminium and other chemicals. Electroplating (e.g. of copper, silver, nickel or 
    chromium) is done using an electrolytic cell.

    An electrolytic cell has three component parts: an electrolyte and two electrodes 
    (a cathode and an anode). The electrolyte is usually a solution of water or other 
    solvents in which ions are dissolved. Molten salts such as sodium chloride are also 
    electrolytes. When driven by an external voltage applied to the electrodes, the ions 
    in the electrolyte are attracted to an electrode with the opposite charge, where 
    charge-transferring (also called faradaic or redox) reactions can take place. Only 
    with an external electrical potential (i.e. voltage) of correct polarity and sufficient 
    magnitude can an electrolytic cell decompose a normally stable, or inert chemical 
    compound in the solution. The electrical energy provided can produce a chemical 

    reaction which would not occur spontaneously otherwise.

    The main components required to achieve electrolysis are:

    • An electrolyte is substance containing free ions which are the carriers of 
        electric current in the electrolyte. If the ions are not mobile, as in a solid salt 
        then electrolysis cannot occur.
    • A direct current (DC) supply: provides the energy necessary to create or 
       discharge the ions in the electrolyte. Electric current is carried by electronds 
       in the external circuit.
    • Electrolysis depends on controlling the voltage and current.   
    • Alternating current (AC) would not be appropriate for electrolysis.  Because the 
      “cathode” and “anode” are constantly switching places, AC produces explosive 
       mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen.
    • Two electrodes: an electrical conductor which provides the physical interface 

       between the electrical circuit providing the energy and the electrolyte.

                                   

    The key process of electrolysis is the interchange of atoms and ions by the removal 
    or addition of electrons from the external circuit. The products of electrolysis are in 
    some different physical states from the electrolyte and can be removed by some 
    physical processes. 

    Electrodes of metal, graphite and semi-conductor material are widely used. Choice 
    of suitable electrode depends on chemical reactivity between the electrode and 
    electrolyte and the cost of manufacture.

    Note: 
    The suitable electrode in electrolysis should be inert (Cu, Pt, etc.) therefore it will not 
    participate in the chemical reaction.
    It is very easy to be confused about the names CATHODE and ANODE and what their 

    properties are, both with electrochemical cells and electrolytic cells.

    (To help you to remember, Cathode is the site of reduction, or, if you prefer, CCC = Cathode 

    Collects Cations. Anode is the site of oxidation, or, AAA = Anode Attracts Anions.)

    Checking up 13.1:

                  

    13.2. Electrolysis of sodium chloride

      Activity 13.2

    Investigating the effect of concentration on the products formed during 
    electrolysis of concentrated sodium chloride solution.

    Materials: Carbon or graphite rods, connecting wire, U-tube, dry cell, glass 

    syringes, concentrated sodium chloride, cork and switch.

                     

                Figure 13.2.1: Electrolysis of concentrated sodium chloride solution 

    Procedure:

    2. Add 10g of sodium chloride to 100cm3
        of distilled water. 
    3. Warm the mixture and continue adding sodium chloride until a 
         saturated solution is formed.
    4. Put the saturated solution in U-tube and fit it with carbon rods and glass 
        syringes.
    5. Level the brine solution in the two arms and switch on the circuit. 
        Record any observations made after some time. Identify any gases 
        collected in the syringe.

    Questions:
    a. Identify the gases formed by testing them using litmus papers.
    b. Using ionic equations, explain how the products are formed. 

    Sodium chloride may be in different forms that can be electrolytes. It may be in its 
    molten state, dilute solution or concentrated solution. In each case, the products of 
    electrolysis differ because of different factors.

    13.2.1. Electrolysis of molten sodium chloride 

    The molten salt is introduced in a container called electrolytic cell (or electrolysis 
    cell) in which there are two inert electrodes (platinum or graphite). Electrodes are 
    connected to a DC generator. 

              • Cations (Na+) move toward the cathode (negative electrode), where they take 

                  electrons and are reduced. On cathode metallic sodium is deposited: 

                       Figure 13.2.2: Electrolysis of molten sodium chloride solution

    • Another important thing to note is that twice as much hydrogen is produced 
    as oxygen. Thus the volume of hydrogen produced is twice that of oxygen. Refer 

    to the equations above and note the number of electrons involved to help you 

                  13.2.2. Electrolysis of Dilute Sodium Chloride Solution

    An aqueous solution of sodium chloride contains four different types of ions. They 
    are ions from sodium chloride: Na+ (aq) and Cl-(aq)

    Ions from water: H+ (aq) and OH-(aq)

    When dilute sodium chloride solution is electrolysed using inert electrodes, the 
    Na+ and H+ ions are attracted to the cathode. The Cl- and OH- ions are attracted to 

    the anode. 

                                             Table 13.2: Standard reduction potentials.

                  

    The table  shown below  is simply a table of standard reduction potentials in 
    decreasing order. The species at the top have a greater likelihood of being reduced 
    while the ones at the bottom have a greater likelihood of being oxidized. Therefore, 
    when a species at the top is coupled with a species at the bottom, the one at the top 

    will be easily reduced while the one at the bottom will be oxidized.

    • At the cathode:

    The H+ and Na+ ions are attracted to the platinum cathode. H+ ions gains electrons 
    from the cathode to form hydrogen gas. (The hydrogen ions accept electrons more 
    readily than the sodium ions. As a result, H+ ions are discharged as hydrogen gas, 
    which bubbles off. Explanation why  H+ ions are preferentially discharged will be 

    given later.)

                       

    • At the anode:

    OH- and Cl- are attracted to the platinum anode. OH- ions give up electrons to the 

    anode to form water and oxygen gas. 

             

    Adding the two reactions and balancing the terms:

             

    If we remove 2 molecules of water on both sides, we get:

                 

    Note: 

    • Since water is being removed (by decomposition into hydrogen and oxygen), 
    the concentration of sodium chloride solution increases gradually. The overall 
    reaction shows that the electrolysis of dilute sodium chloride solution is 

    equivalent to the electrolysis of water.

                                 

                                                   Figure 13.2.3: Electrolysis of dilute sodium chloride solution

    13.2.3. Electrolysis of Concentrated Sodium Chloride Solution

    The only difference with dilute NaCl solution is that at the anode, Cl-  ions are more 
    numerous than OH- ions. Consequently, Cl- ions are discharged as chlorine gas, which 
    bubbles off. 

    A half-equation shows you what happens at one of the electrodes during 

    electrolysis. 

                               

    Sodium ions Na+ and hydroxide OH– are also present in the sodium chloride 
    solution. They are not discharged at the electrodes. Instead, they make sodium 

    hydroxide solution.

    These products are reactive, so it is important to use inert (unreactive) materials for 

    the electrodes.

    One volume of hydrogen gas is given off at the cathode and one volume of chlorine 
    gas is produced at the anode. The resulting solution becomes alkaline because 

    there are more OH- than H+ ions left in the solution. 

                               

    Checking up 13.2: 

    With the help of equations of reactions which occur at each 
    electrode, outline what happens during electrolysis of dilute aqueous sodium 

    chloride. What happens to the pH of the solution as electrolysis continues?

    13.3. Electrolysis of water

    Activity 13.3: Investigate the products formed during the electrolysis of water

    Materials:

    • Distilled water
    • Tap water
    • 2 silver-colored thumb tacks
    • 9V battery
    • Small, clear plastic container 
    • 2 test tubes
    • Stopwatch
    • Baking soda
    • Table salt
    • Lemon

    • Dish washing detergent

                           

    Procedure:

    3. Insert the thumb tacks into the bottom of the plastic container so that 
    the points push up into the container. Space them so that they’re the 
    same distance apart as the two terminals of the 9V battery. Be careful not 
    to harm yourself!
    4. Place the plastic container with the terminals of the battery. If the cup is 
    too large to balance on the battery, be sure thumb tacks are connect to 
    positive and negative pushpins and do no touch each other.
    5. Slowly fill the container with distilled water. If the tacks move, go ahead 
    and use this opportunity to fix them before you proceed. Will distilled 
    water conduct electricity on its own? Try it!
    6. Add a pinch of baking soda.
    7. Hold two test tubes above each push pin to collect the gas being formed. 
    Record your observations. What happens? Does one tube have more 
    gas than the other? What gases do you think are forming?

    8. Discard the solution, and repeat the procedure with a different 
    combination: 
    • Distilled water and lemon juice
    • Distilled water and table salt
    • Distilled water and dish detergent
    • Distilled water (no additive)
    • Tap water (Does tap water works? If so, why?)

    Question: During the electrolysis of water, which electrolyte conducts 

    electricity the best?

    Water can be decomposed by passing an electric current through it.  When this 
    happens, the electrons from the electric current cause an oxidation-reduction 
    reaction.   At one electrode, called the cathode, electrons cause a reduction.  At the 
    other electrode, called the anode, electrons leave their ions completing the circuit, 
    and cause an oxidation.

    In order to carry out electrolysis the solution  must conduct electric current.  
    Pure water is a very poor conductor.  To make the water conduct better we can 
    add an electrolyte (NaCl) to the water. The electrolyte added must not be more 
    electrolyzable than water.   Many electrolytes that we add electrolyze more easily 
    than water.  Sulfate ions do not electrolyse as easily as water, so sulfates are often 
    used to enhance the conductivity of the water

    Water may be electrolyzed in the apparatus shown below. Pure water is however a 
    very poor conductor of electricity and one has to add dilute sulphuric acid in order 

    to have a significant current flow.

                

    In pure water at the negatively charged cathode, a reduction reaction takes place, 
    with electrons (e−) from the cathode being given to hydrogen cations to form 

    hydrogen gas. The half reaction, balanced with acid, is:

                 Reduction at cathode:

    At the positively charged anode, an oxidation reaction occurs, generating 

    oxygen gas and giving electrons to the anode to complete the circuit:

              Oxidation at anode:

                                               

                 

    Combining either half reaction pair yields the same overall decomposition of water 

    into oxygen and hydrogen:

                 Overall reaction:

    The number of hydrogen molecules produced is thus twice the number of oxygen 
    molecules. Assuming equal temperature and pressure for both gases, the produced 

    hydrogen gas has therefore twice the volume of the produced oxygen gas.

      Checking up 13.3

      I understand the process of water electrolysis, that water as an electrolyte can 
    be decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen via an external energy source (an 
    electrical current). I know that the reduction of hydrogen takes place on the 
    cathode and the oxidation reaction takes place on the anode. I also know 
    that water, already partially split into H+ and OH- (though there are very few 
    of these ions in pure water). 

    1. Electric current (direct current) electrolyzes water. Discuss this 
         statement. 

    2. Why alternative current are not used for the same process?

    13.4. Electrolysis of concentrated copper (II) sulphate solution 

    using inert electrode

    Activity 13.4: Investigating what happens when a solution of copper (II) 

     sulphate is electrolysed using carbon and copper electrodes.

    Apparatus and chemicals: Glass cell, Carbon rod, 2M copper (II) sulphate 
    solution, connecting wires, dry cells, copper plates, propanone and litmus 

    paper.

                         

    Procedure: 

    3. Determine the mass of the graphite rods and record it.
    4. Put 0.5M of copper (II) sulphate solution in a glass cell with the carbon 
        (graphite) rods and set up the apparatus. Carefully observe all the 
        changes taking place at the electrodes and the solution. Test the 
         resulting solution with blue litmus paper.
    5. After some time, switch off the current, remove the electrodes, wash 
        them in propanone, dry then and then weigh them.
    6. Repeat the experiment using clean strips of copper metal as electrodes. 
        Weigh them and then complete the circuit using freshly prepared 

        copper (II) sulphate solution. Record your observations.

    Questions: 
     1. Explain the changes observed during the electrolysis of copper (II)
         sulphate using :

                  a.Carbon electrodes
                  b.Copper electrodes 
    2. Outline the changes that occur in the solution from the beginning 

         to the end of the experiment.

    The products of electrolysing of copper sulphate solution with inert electrodes 

    (carbon/graphite or platinum) are copper metal and oxygen gas.

                        

                         Figure 13.4.1: Simple apparatus to investigate the electrolysis of aqueous solutions

      Using the simple apparatus (diagram above) and inert carbon (graphite) electrodes, 
    you can observe the products of the electrolysis of copper sulfate solution are a 
    copper deposit on the negative cathode electrode and oxygen gas at the positive 
    anode electrode. This anode reaction differs if you use copper electrodes.  You have 
    to fill the little test tubes with the electrolyte (dilute copper sulphate solution), hold 
    the liquid in with your finger and carefully invert them over the nearly full electrolysis 

    cell. The simple apparatus (above) can be used with two inert wire electrodes.

    The blue colour fades as more and more copper is deposited, depleting the 

    concentration of blue copper ion in solution.

    Diagram for the electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution with carbon 

    electrodes.

                  

            Figure 13.4.2: The electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution with carbon electrodes.

    The electrode reactions and products of the electrolysis of the electrolyte copper 
    sulphate solution (with inert carbon-graphite electrodes) are illustrated by the 

    diagram above

    (a) The electrode products from the electrolysis of copper sulphate with inert 

    graphite (carbon) electrodes

    The negative cathode electrode attracts ions (from copper sulphate) and 
    ions (from water). Only the copper ion is discharged, being reduced into copper 
    metal. The less reactive a metal, the more readily its ion is reduced on the electrode 
    surface.
    A copper deposit forms as the positive copper ions are attracted to the negative 

    electrode (cathode)

    positive ion reduction by electron gain.

    The traces of hydrogen ions are not discharged, so you do not see any gas collected 
    above the negative electrode. The blue colour of the copper ion will fade as the copper 
    ions are converted into the copper deposit on the cathode

    At the positive anode reaction with graphite electrodes

    Oxygen gas is formed at the positive electrode, an oxidation reaction (electron 

    loss).

    The negative sulphate ions or the traces of hydroxide ions  are 
    attracted to the positive electrode. But the sulphate ion is too stable and nothing 

    happens. Instead hydroxide ions are discharged and oxidised to form oxygen.

                           

                                                              Figure 13.4.3: Electrolysis of copper(II) sulphate

    Checking up 13.4

    1. Name the product at the cathode and anode during electrolysis of:
         a. Molten lead bromide with inert electrode.
         b. Acidified copper sulphate solution with inert electrodes.
        c. Acidified water with inert electrode.
        d. Dilute hydrochloric acid with inert electrode.
        e. Concentrated hydrochloric acid with inert electrode.
    2.Predict the products formed when the following molten compounds are 
        electrolysed using carbon electrodes;

         a. Lead(II) bromide

         b. Magnesium oxide

    13.5. Electrolysis of concentrated copper (II) sulphate solution 

            using copper electrodes

    The products of electrolysis of copper sulfate solution with copper electrodes are 
    copper metal and copper ions (the copper anode dissolves).

    The electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution using copper electrodes is shown 

    below. 

                              

                              Figure 13.5.1: Electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate

    Using the simple apparatus and two copper electrodes the products of the 
    electrolysis of copper sulphate solution are a copper deposit on the negative 
    cathode electrode and copper dissolves, at the positive anode electrode. 
    This copper anode reaction differs from the one when you use an inert graphite 

    electrode for the anode.

    When Copper (II) sulphate is electrolysed with a copper anode electrode (the 

    cathode can be carbon or copper), the copper deposit on the cathode (–) equals the 

    copper dissolves at the anode (+). Therefore the blue colour of the Cu2+ ions stays 
    constant because Cu deposited = Cu dissolved. Both involve a two electron transfer 
    so it means mass of Cu deposited = mass of Cu dissolving for the same quantity 
    of current flowing (flow of electrons). You can check this out by weighing the dry
    electrodes before and after the electrolysis has taken place.

    The experiment works with a carbon anode and you see the blackness of the graphite 

    change to the orange-brown colour of the copper deposit.

                         

                    Figure 13.5.2: The electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution with a copper anode and a 

                    copper cathode.

    The electrode reactions and products of the electrolysis of copper sulphate solution 
    (with a copper anode) are illustrated by the diagram above.

    (a) The electrode products from the electrolysis of copper sulphate with copper 

    electrodes

    The negative cathode electrode attracts ions (from copper sulphate) and 
    ions (from water). Only the copper ion is discharged, being reduced to copper metal.
    A reduction electrode reaction at the negative cathode: 

    (copper deposit, reduction 2 electrons gained) reduction by electron gain.

    The positive anode reaction with copper electrodes
    It’s the copper anode that is the crucial difference than electrolysing copper sulphate 

    solution with an inert carbon (graphite) or platinum electrode.

    The negative sulphate ions  (from copper sulphate) or the traces of hydroxide 
    ions   (from water) are attracted to the positive electrode. But both the sulphate 
    ion and hydroxide ion are too stable and nothing happens to them because the 
    copper anode is preferentially oxidised to discharge  copper ions.

    An oxidation electrode reaction at the positive anode: copper dissolves, two 

    electrons are lost following the half reaction:

                        

    Copper atoms oxidised to copper (II) ions: dissolving of copper in its electrolytic 

    purification or electroplating (must have positive copper anode).

    Copper (II) ions reduced to copper atoms: deposition of copper in its electrolytic 
    purification or electroplating using copper (II) sulphate solution, so the electrode 

    can be copper or other metal to be plated or any other conducting material.

    This means for every copper atom that gets oxidised, one copper ion is reduced, 

    therefore 

    when copper electrodes are used in the electrolysis of copper sulphate solution, the 
    mass loss of copper from the positive anode electrode should equal to the mass of 

    copper gained and deposited on the negative cathode electrode.

    You can show this by weighing both electrodes at the start of the experiment. After 
    the current has passed for some time, carefully extract the electrodes from the 
    solution, wash them, dry them and reweigh them. The gain in mass of the cathode 

    should be the same as the loss of mass from the anode.

    Checking up 13. 5

    1.
         a. Predict the products formed (i) at the cathode, (ii) at the anode, when 
             copper (II) sulphate solution is electrolysed using carbon electrodes.
        b. Describe the colour changes in the electrolyte.
     2. What will you observe
        a. At cathode
        b. At anode
        c. In electrolytic, during the electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution 
            with copper electrode.
    3.Write equations for the reaction taking place at cathode and at anode 
          during the electrolysis of:
        a. Acidified copper sulphate solution with copper electrode.
        b. Acidified water with inert electrode.
        c. Molten lead bromide with inert electrode.
    4.Using a table, highlight the similarities and differences between using 
       graphite electrodes and copper electrode for the electrolysis of copper 

       sulphate.

    13.6. Faraday’s Laws

    Activity 13.6

     Comparison of the amounts of different substances liberated by the same 

    quantity of electricity.

                        

                       Figure 13.6: Comparison of the amounts of different substances
                        liberated by the same quantity of electricity

    Set up the circuit containing a copper voltmeter and a silver voltmeter (a 
    voltmeter is a vessel containing two electrodes immersed in a solution of ions 

    through which a current is to be passed.)

    Identify the copper and silver cathodes, clean and dry them, and after weighing 
    them return them in their respective voltmeters. Pass a current of about 0.5A 
    for 20 or 30 minutes, after which the cathodes should be removed, cleaned and 

    dried, and reweighed.

    Compare the masses of copper and silver deposited. Note that care must be 
    taken in removing the silver cathode from the solution as the metal does not 

    always adhere well to the cathode.

    The relationship between the mass of product formed at an electrode and the 
    quantity of electricity passed through an electrolyte is given by Faraday’s laws of 

    electrolysis.

    Michael Faraday (1791-1867) did the first work on electrolysis and formulated what 
    is known today as Faraday’s laws of electrolysis.

    These laws express the quantitative results of electrolysis. They assert that the 
    amount (expressed in moles) of an element liberated during electrolysis depends 

    upon:

          1. The time of passing the steady current, t
          2. The magnitude of the steady current passed, I

         3. The charge of the ions

    13.6.1. Faraday’s first law

    According to this law, “The amount of substance liberated at an electrode is 

    directly proportional to the quantity of electricity passed”

                           

    1F = 96500 coulomb
     So, 1 Faraday [96500 coulomb] of electricity will produce 1 gm equivalent of Ag, 
    Cu and Al at cathode.

    13.6.2. Faraday’s second law 
    According to this law, “if same quantity of electricity is passed through different 
    electrolytes, then the amount of substances liberated at the respective electrodes 

    are in the ratio of their equivalent masses”.

    Or 

    When the same quantity of electricity passes through solutions of different electrolytes, 
    the amounts of the substances liberated at the electrodes are directly proportional to 

    their chemical equivalents.

             

    Equivalent mass is the mass of a substance especially in grams that combines with 
    or is chemically equivalent to eight grams of oxygen or one gram of hydrogen; the 

    atomic or molecular Mass divided by the valence.

    Example: 
    Calculate the amount of electric charge in coulombs which can 
    deposit 5.2g of aluminium when a current was passed through a solution of 

    aluminium sulphate for some time.

    Solution:

    3 moles of electrons are needed to deposit 1 mole of aluminium (24g of 

    aluminium).

    Checking up 13.6

    1. A current of 0.65A was passed through sulphate solution of metal X 
         for 35 minutes between platinum electrodes. If 0.449 g of the metal is 
        deposited at the cathode, calculate the charge on the element X (atomic 
         mass is 63.5)

    2. When a constant current was passed through an aqueous solution 
        of copper (II) nitrate for one hour the mass of the copper cathode 
       increased by 15.24 g. Calculate the current in amperes which was used( 

       F= 96500 Cu = 63.5)

    13.7. Factors affecting Electrolysis

    Activity13.7: Investigating how the nature of electrodes affects the discharge                                                                                              of ions during electrolysis.
    Apparatus and chemicals: 
    • Beaker (100 cm3)
    • 6V Battery
    • 2 connecting wires with crocodile clips
    • 2 carbon electrodes
    • 2 copper electrodes
    •   solution
    Caution: Do not allow the electrodes to touch each other while the power 

    supply is switched on, otherwise this may damage the equipment.

    A. Electrolysing of copper (II) sulphate solution using Carbon electrodes.

                     

              Figure 13.7.1: Electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate solution using carbon electrodes.

     Procedure: let the current flow for 5 minutes

     Observe what happens at each electrode

    Questions:

    1. What product is formed on the cathode?
    2. What product is formed at the anode?
    3. Has the colour of the solution changed?

    4. Explain the observations in 3.

    B.Electrolysing of copper(II) sulphate solution using Copper electrodes 
                                      

    Procedure: let the current flow for 5 minutes

     Observe what happens at each electrode


    Questions:

    1. What product is formed on the cathode?
    2. What product is formed at the anode?
    3. Has the colour of the solution changed?

    4. Explain the observations in 3.

    In an electrolysis where there are more than one species which can be discharged 
    at the same electrode, only one of them is discharged at a time; for example, in an 
    aqueous sodium chloride solution, we have four species that is, and 
     ions from sodium chloride and and ions from water.
    During electrolysis ions and ions migrate to the cathode while   ions and 
       migrate to the anode.
    Now the question is, which species of ions will be discharged at the cathode and 
    which ones will be discharged at the anode first?

    The factors which decide the selective discharge of ions are:

    • Nature of electrodes
    • Position of the ion in electrochemical series
    • Concentration 

    • The state of the electrolyte

    13.7.1. Nature of Electrodes

    In the electrolysis of sodium chloride solution using a platinum cathode, ions 

    are discharged first in aqueous solution.

           

    However, if the cathode is mercury, sodium is discharged. The sodium atom 

    discharged combines with mercury cathode to form sodium amalgam.

                 

      Electrolysis of copper sulphate using copper anode  

    In this electrolysis, the anions,   migrate to the anode but none of them 

    is discharged. Instead the copper atoms of the anode ionise and enter the solution.

                     

    The copper (II) ions are attracted to the cathode and copper is deposited as a brown 

    layer. The use of platinum anode gives oxygen as the product due to the reaction;

                 

    13.7.2. Position of ion in Electrochemical Series

    When solving for the standard cell potential, the species oxidized and the species 
    reduced must be identified. This can be done using the activity series. The table 13.2 
    is simply a table of standard reduction potentials in decreasing order. The species 
    at the top have a greater likelihood of being reduced while the ones at the bottom 
    have a greater likelihood of being oxidized. Therefore, when a species at the top is 
    coupled with a species at the bottom, the one at the top will become reduced while 

    the one at the bottom will become oxidized. 

    During electrolysis of solution containing a mixture of ions, the ion lower in 

    electrochemical series is discharged first in preference to the one high in the series.

    Let us look at the role of water in electrolysis products.

    Water molecules to a small extent (degree) ionize as

                

    Due to the above ionization, aqueous solutions of electrolytes contain two sets 
    of ions that is those from the salt dissolved and the   ions from water 

    molecules.

     Example:

    Electrolysis of aqueous copper (II) sulphate solution using platinum electrodes.

    Ions present in solution:

                    

           Cathode

          

              The cathode gets coated with a brown layer of copper as the solution loses its blue 

               colour.

               Anode 

               

    13.7.3. Concentration of electrolyte solution

    Increase of concentration of an ion tends to promote its discharge, for example in 
    concentrated hydrochloric acid, containing 
     as negative ions, the highly concentrated  is discharged in preference.

    However, if the acid is very dilute, some discharge of will also occur. It is important 
    to know that as the acid is diluted, there will not be a point at which chlorine ceases 
    to be produced and oxygen replaces it. Instead a mixture of the two gases will come 

    off, with the proportion of oxygen gradually increasing.

    Another case in which the order of discharge according to the electrochemical series 
    is reversed by a concentration effect is that of sodium chloride solution.

    In concentrated solution of sodium chloride called brine, the following reactions 
    occur.
                  

    Question 3

    A university student set up three different electrolytic cells. The substances that 
    were electrolysed were NaCl (l), 0.05 M NaCl (aq) and 5.0 M NaCl (aq). Which of 
    the following statements correctly describes the results of the experiment? 

    a. The reactions occurring for the aqueous solutions will produce the same 
         products at the anode and cathode. 
    b. Chlorine gas is the major product when molten NaCl (aq) and 0.05 M 
         NaCl (aq) are electrolysed. 
    c. The pH at the cathode increases when solutions of NaCl are electrolysed. 
    d. The only means by which different products can be produced for 

         varying concentrations of NaCl is to alter the voltage.

    13.7.4. The state of the electrolyte

    The half reactions taking place at the electrode depends on whether the electrolyte 
    is in a molten or an aqueous state, and if in aqueous state its concentration. For 
    example, the electrode reactions that take place during the electrolysis of molten 

    potassium iodide are:

               

    However, if aqueous potassium iodide is used, the following electrode reactions 
    take place:
                
                                                  Electrode signs and reactions

                 

     Checking up 13.7

    Question 1 

    A student set up the following experiment. How would the rate of electrolysis 

    in beaker 2 compare to that in beaker 1?

                               

    13.8. Application of electrolysis

    Activity 13.8 

    Copper-Plated Key

    Materials:

    • 1.5-volt D battery with battery holder
    • Two alligator clip leads or insulated wire
    • Beaker or glass
    • Copper sulphate
    • Copper electrode (or coil of copper wire)
    • Brass key

    • Safety equipment

    Procedure:

    5. Prepare the key for copper-plating by cleaning it with toothpaste or 
        soap and water. Dry it off on a paper towel.
    6. Stir copper sulphate into some hot water in a beaker until no more will 

        dissolve. Your solution should be dark blue. Let it cool.

    3. Use one alligator clip to attach the copper electrode to the positive terminal 
         of the battery (this is now the anode) and the other to attach the key to the 
        negative terminal (now called the cathode).

    4. Partially suspend the key in the solution by wrapping the wire lead loosely 
        around a pencil and placing the pencil across the mouth of the beaker. The 
         alligator clip should not touch the solution.

    5. Place the copper strip into the solution, making sure it doesn’t touch the key 
         and the solution level is below the alligator clip. An electrical circuit has now 
        formed and current is flowing.

    6. Leave the circuit running for 20-30 minutes, or until you are happy with the 
         amount of copper on the key.

    Question: Observe carefully electrolysis process and records what happened 

    during the electrolysis process.

    Electrolysis has a number of important industrial applications. These include 
    the extraction and purification of metals, electroplating and anodizing and the 

    manufacture of other chemicals for example sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

    Extraction of metals

    Metals in group I and II of the periodic table cannot be reduced by chemical 
    reducing agents; they are extracted from their fused halides by electrolysis. Sodium 
    is obtained by electrolysis of molten sodium chloride in the Dawncell. Magnesium is 
    obtained by electrolysis of  genera ted from dolomite and sea water.
    Extraction of aluminum

    The chief ore of aluminum is bauxite, it contains silica and iron (III) 

    oxide as impurities. Bauxite is dissolved in a strong solution of sodium hydroxide:

                 

    The impurities are not affected by the presence of sodium hydroxide because they 
    are not amphoteric and they are thus filtered off. The solution is diluted, cooled and 

    seed by adding a few crystals of pure Al 

    On seeding, the aqueous tetrahydroxoaluminate is precipitated as pure Al

    from the solution:

                              

    The electrolytic cell is an iron tank lined with carbon, which acts as the cathode. The 
    anodes are blocks of carbon dipped into the electrolyte. The electrolyte is a solution 
    of molten aluminum oxide in molten cryolite. Cryolite acts as a solvent to dissolve 
    aluminum oxide and as an impurity to lower the melting point of aluminum oxide. 

    The electrolytic cell is maintained at around 900°C.

                      

    Aluminum ions are discharged at the cathode, forming a pool of molten aluminum 
    at the bottom of the tank.

    At high temperature, oxygen reacts with the carbon anode to form carbon dioxide 
    gas. Hence, the anodes are slowly burnt away as carbon dioxide gas and needs to be 

    replaced frequently.

    Manufacture of NaOH and extraction of  gas in Downcell

    Construction of Down’s cell 

    • Down’s cell consists of a rectangular container of steel.
    • Inside of the tank is lined with firebricks.
    • Anode is a graphite rod which projects centrally up through the base of the 
       cell.
    • Cathode is a ring of iron, which surrounds the anode
         The anode and cathode are separated from each other by a cylindrical steel 
         gauze diaphragm; so that and are kept apart.

    • A bell like hood is submerged over the anode

                 

                
    These are manufactured by electrolysis of concentrated sodium chloride, called 

    brine. Hydrogen is also obtained as by products. In solution, sodium chloride ionizes:

           

    Using carbon electrodes, the products of electrolysis are chlorine at the anode and 

    hydrogen at the cathode. Hydrogen is discharged in preference to sodium.

               

    The sodium discharged at the mercury cathode forms a solution of sodium amalgam 
    in mercury. The sodium amalgam is collected in a reservoir in which it reacts 
    with water to form sodium hydroxide solution and hydrogen gas. Mercury is also 

    recovered and returned to the electrolytic cell to pass through the process again.

          

    The sodium hydroxide produced is crystallized. It is used in:
    • Manufacture of soap
    • The paper industry-wood contains lignin, which is a nitrogenous compound, in 
    addition to cellulose. Wood chips are converted into pulp by boiling the chips 
    with sodium hydroxide solution to remove the lignin. The digested material is 

    bleached with chlorine.

    Purification of metals

    Metals such as copper, zinc and aluminium can be purified by electrolysis. The 
    purification of metals is known as refining. The copper obtained after the reduction 
    process is not very pure. It contains small amounts of impurities such as iron. This 
    copper is called blister copper and is refined by an electrolytic method. It is cast 

    into bars which are used as anodes in acidified copper (II) sulphate solution.

    The cathode is made of thin pure copper. During the electrolysis, ions are 
    transferred from the anode to the cathode where they are discharged and copper is 

    deposited.

                

    The net effect is to dissolve the anode made of impure copper and thicken the 

    cathode (pure copper) with more pure copper.

    Electroplating

    This is a process of coating a metal with another of interest mainly to prevent it from 
    rusting, or/ and to improve its appearance, for example, in silver plating articles as 
    cake dishes, made of base alloy, for example cupronickel, are made the cathode in 
    plating bath of potassium (or sodium) dicyanoargentate(I), solution. This 
    contains some silver ions, The anode is pure silver. When direct current passes, 

    the following reactions occur.

           

    In general;

    • The metal being coated is made the cathode and the metal coating is the anode 
    • The solution used is made of the ions of a metal that is coating, so that the 

        anode can dissolve. Anode is the pure plating metal.

                     

     A good electroplating requires steady electric current, appropriate concentration of 

    electrolyte and temperature. The metal to electroplate must be clean.

    Checking up 13.8

    1. a. What is the difference between electrolytic extraction of a metal and 
              electroplating?
        b. Draw a set up used to electroplate a spoon by silver.
    2.What is the material for cathode and anode during electro refining of impure 
            copper? 

    3. Electrometallurgy is the process of reduction of metals from metallic 
         compounds to obtain the pure form of metal. Given elements: aluminum, 
         lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, Zinc, Iron and copper 
         which ones can be reduced by chemical agents such as carbon and which 

         ones are produced by electrolysis only?

    13.9. End Unit Assessment

    1. Choose from a list of words and fill in the missing words in the text below: 
          electrolysis, cathode and anode. When the current passes through an 
           electrolytic solution, ions migrate and electrons are gained or lost by ions 
          on the electrodes surface. Electrode that is positively charged has deficit 
          of electrons is called…………and other negatively charged has excess of 
          electrons is called……………. chemical changes at the electrodes due to the 
           passage of electric current are called ………………...

    2. Answer by true or false
          a. The Avogadro (1791-1867) did the first work on electrolysis and 
             formulated what is known today as faraday’s laws of electrolysis.
         b. Electroplating is a process of coating a metal with another of interest 
             mainly to prevent it from rusting, and to improve its appearance.
         c. A non electrolyte is a solution or molten compound which cannot be 
            decomposed by an electric current.
        d. An ion is an atom or a group of atoms (radical) which has an electric 
           charge.
      e. An anode is the negative electrode through which electrons leave 
           the electrolyte and a cathode is the positive electrode through which 
            electrons enter the electrolyte or leave the external circuit.

    3. Which of the following involves electrolysis?
          a. Photosynthesis and Respiration
          b. Purification of Copper and Sea Water
          c. Purification of copper and extraction of reactive metals 
         d. Extraction of reactive metals and Respiration

    4. Which of the following is not an inert electrode? 
            a. Carbon 
            b. Copper
            c. Platinum 
            d. Mercury 

    5. What ions are present in the electrolysis of aqueous Copper (II) Sulfate with 
             Copper electrodes?
         a. Copper (II) ions, Sulfate ions
         b. Hydrogen ions, Oxygen ions, Copper (II) ions
         c. Copper (II)ions
         d. Hydrogen ions, Hydroxide ions, Copper (II) ions, Sulfate ions

    6. What happens during the electrolysis of a diluted sodium chloride solution?
    a. Hydrogen ions and chlorine ions are discharged.
    b. Hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions are discharged.
    c. Sodium ion and chlorine ions are discharged.
    d. Sodium ions and hydroxide ions are discharged.

    7. State three applications of electrolysis on a large scale and describe one of 
    them briefly.

    8. Describe how the factor of concentration affects electrolysis.

    9. Calculate the amount of electricity required (in Faradays) to deposit one mole 
    of lead ions if a current of 2.5A was passed for 20 minutes through molten lead 
    (II) bromide and 3.20 g of lead metal was deposited.
     

    10. An element X has a relative atomic mass of 88. When a current of 0.5A is 
         passed through the molten chloride of X for 32 minutes and 10 seconds, 0.44 
         g of X deposited at the electrode.

        • Calculate the number of Faradays needed to liberate 1 mol of X.

        • Write the formula of the ion of X (1F= 96500C).

  • UNIT 14: ENTHALPY CHANGE OF REACTIONS

          Key unit competency:

    To be able to design an experimental procedure to verify the enthalpy
    changes in a chemical reaction

    Learning objectives

    • Define heat of reaction, standard enthalpy change of combustion, enthalpy 
        of neutralisation, enthalpy of solution, enthalpy of hydration and lattice 
         enthalpy
    • Describe an experimental procedure in determination of heat of combustion
    • Explain the relationship between quantity of heat produced and mass of 
      substance in combustion reaction
    • State Hess’s law of constant heat summation
    • State and explain the factors that affect the magnitude of lattice energy
    • Describe bond breaking as endothermic and bond making as exothermic
    • Develop practical experimental skills about enthalpy changes of reactions, 
       interpreting results and drawing valid conclusions.
    • Carry out practical activities to determine enthalpy change of reactions 
       (enthalpy change of combustion of ethanol, enthalpy change of 
       neutralization).
    • Calculate the enthalpy change of combustion, neutralization and dissolution 
      from experimental data 
    • Deduce how Hess’s law is applied to Born-Haber cycle.
    • Construct Hess’s energy cycles and Born-Haber cycles from data obtained 
      experimentally or provided.
    • Calculate the enthalpy changes of reactions using Hess’s law.
    • Use the standard bond energy to determine the standard enthalpy of 
       reaction.
    • Relate the heat of hydration and lattice energy to heat of solution. 
    • Respect of procedure during experiments of combustion and neutralization.
    • Appreciate the contributions of other scientists such as Hess, Born and 

       Haber’s work.

    Introductory activity
    Observe the pictures below, analyze them and answer the questions that 

    follow.

              

               Functioning of a vehicle’s engine           Spacecraft launching                     Bunsen burner

    1. What is the origin of the energy used for the flight of airplanes, the 
        functioning of vehicle’s engines or some machines used in factories, 
        launching of spacecrafts, energy used by our bodies, the energy 
        released by a burning wood, Bunsen burner or a burning match or an 
        exploding dynamite, etc?

    2. What are the chemical reactions that are involved in the processes 
         above?

    3. How the energy used may be determined?

    14.1. Definition of standard enthalpy of different reactions

    Activity 14.1

    Referring to the concept of energy changes and energy profile diagrams for 
    chemical reactions:
    1. Recall the definition of:
         a. enthalpy change
         b. thermochemical equation
    2. State the rules governing thermochemical equations.

    3.By conducting your own research, differentiate the types of enthalpy 

      change of reactions.

    In thermodynamics, it is shown how energy, work, and heat are related. Every 
    chemical reaction occurs with a concurrent change in energy. Before to embark 
    the explanation of these chemical changes, some key terms have to be defined as 

    follows.

    (i) Enthalpy change (ΔH)
    In thermodynamics, the heat of reaction also known as enthalpy of reaction is 
    the change in the enthalpy (H) of a chemical reaction that occurs at a constant 
    pressure. Enthalpy,
    H is a state function used to describe the heat changes that 
    occur in a reaction under constant pressure. It is a state function as it is derived from 
    pressure, volume, and internal energy, all of which are state functions. The enthalpy 
    is a measurement of the amount of energy per mole either released or absorbed in 
    a reaction.

    When a reaction is taking place in an open container, a quantity of heat which is 
    proportional to the quantity of the matter present, will be released or absorbed. 

    The flow of heat is the enthalpy change noted ΔH. The units of ΔH are kJ/mol or 
    kcal/mol.

    (ii) Thermochemical equation
          A thermochemical equation is a balanced equation that includes the amount of 

         heat exchanged (produced or absorbed).

    Examples

            

    The rules of enthalpy change of reaction: 

     a) The enthalpy change of a reaction is proportional to the amount of reactants 

           that are involved in the reaction.

    Examples:

                   

    b) In a chemical reaction, reversing a reaction automatically changes the sign of 

          ∆H.

    Example:

       

    If the reaction is reversed, we have:

          

    c) The enthalpy change of a reaction depends on the physical states of the 

    reactants and the products.

               

    (iii) Types of enthalpy changes

    There are various types of enthalpy change. Some examples of the types of 

    enthalpy changes are given below. 

    a) The enthalpy of formation of a substance is the heat change (heat released 
    or absorbed) for the chemical reaction in which one mole of the substance is formed 
    from its constituent elements under given conditions of temperature T and pressure 
    P. 
    The standard enthalpy of formation   of a substance is the change in enthalpy 
    for the reaction that forms one mole of the substance from its elements in their most 
    stable form with all reactants and products at the pressure of 1 atm and usually at 

    the temperature of 298 K.

           

    The standard enthalpy change of a reaction is the enthalpy change that occurs in 
    a system when matter is transformed by a given chemical reaction when all reactants 
    and products are taken in their standard states (at 1 atm and 298 K).

    Consider a general reaction:

               

    The standard enthalpy change for any reaction can be calculated from the 

    standard enthalpies of formation of the reactants and the products in the reaction:

                      

                

    Answer:

             

      b) Enthalpy of combustion

    The enthalpy of the combustion of a substance (element or compound) ΔHoc, is the 
    enthalpy change which occurs when one mole of a substance undergoes complete 

    combustion with oxygen in excess at 298 K and 1 atm. 

    Examples:

                  

    c) Enthalpy of neutralization

    The standard enthalpy of neutralization, is the enthalpy change which occurs 
    when one gram equivalent of an acid is neutralized by one gram equivalent of a 
    base to produce a salt and water under the standard conditions of temperature and 

    pressure.

    The equation of the neutralization reaction is:

    Example:
    Enthalpy change for the neutralisation of sodium hydroxide by hydrochloric 

    acid is 

    The enthalpy of neutralization is the heat evolved for the reaction between the 
    ions given by the acid with the OH→ ions given by the base to form one mole of 

    d) Enthalpy of displacement

    The displacement enthalpy is the enthalpy change of a reaction in which an 
    element displaces another in a chemical reaction. 

    For example, zinc is more reactive than copper, so when zinc is added to copper (II) 

    sulphate solution, copper is displaced. 

          

    The reaction is associated with an enthalpy change converted into the heat energy 

    equals to 

    e) Enthalpy of solution

    The enthalpy of solution of a compound is the heat energy change at constant 
    pressure when one mole of a compound is completely dissolved in a specific
    amount 
    of water as solvent.

    However, if a large volume of the solvent is used till further addition of the solvent 
    does not produce any more heat change it is called enthalpy of solution at infinite 

    dilution. The symbol (aq) is used to represent the solvent at large dilution.

    Examples:

    The enthalpy of solution of sodium chloride solid:

              

    f) Enthalpy of atomization 

    The atomization enthalpy  is the enthalpy change when one mole of gaseous 
    conditions. The enthalpy change of atomization is always positive.
    For a diatomic molecule, the atomization enthalpy is equal to a half of the bond 

    dissociation energy.

              

    g) Lattice enthalpy

    Lattice enthalpy is the enthalpychange that occurs when one mole of an ionic crystal 

    isformed from its gaseous constituents.

              

    14.2. Relationship between temperature and heat

    h) Hydration enthalpy

    Hydration enthalpy is the enthalpy change when one mole of gaseous ions dissolves 

    in sufficient water to give an infinitely dilute solution.

           

    i) Bond dissociation enthalpy

    Bond dissociation enthalpy is the needed energy to break a single bond such as N-H 

    in an ammonia molecule. 

           

        Checking up 14.1

    1. Write an equation representing the formation of each of the following 
              compounds from its constituent elements.
         a. hexane
          b. nitric acid
          c. methanol
          d. potassium bromide
          e. butanoic acid
    2. Which of the following reactions do not represent the standard enthalpy 

            of formation?

              

    3. Write the equations that represent the standard enthalpy of combustion 
        of:
    a. hydrogen 
    b. methane 
    c. sulphur 
    d. propanol
    4.Write equations for which the enthalpy of atomization is measured.
    a. potassium
    b. nitrogen
    c. iodine

    Activity 14.2

    To investigate the relationship between heat and temperature

    Requirements 

    • Weighing balance
    • Thermometer
    • Insulated plastic beaker(calorimeter)
    • Measuring cylinder
    • Sodium hydroxide pellets

    • Distilled water

    Procedure

              

            

            Interpretation

              

    Heat is the exchange of thermal energy between the system and the surroundings 
    that results in the temperature difference. Heat flows from matter with high 
    temperature to matter with low temperature until both objects reach the same 
    temperature. The quantity of heat is symbolized by “q”.

    When a system absorbs heat its temperature increases. The increase in temperature 

    is directly proportional to the amount of heat absorbed.  

    The heat capacity, C of a substance is the amount of heat required to raise the 
    temperature of a substance by 1°C. The heat capacity is expressed in J/°C or J/K. 

    The molar heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the 
    temperature of one mole of a substance by 1°C. It is expressed in Joules per mole 
    per degrees Celsius (or Kelvin), (J/mol.°C or J/mol. K). 

    For example, the molar heat capacity of lead is 26.65J/mol.°C, which means that it 
    takes 26.65 Joules of heat to raise 1 mole of lead by 1°C.

    The specific heat capacity is the amount of heat needed to increase the temperature 
    of one gram of a substance by one degree. It is expressed in Joules per gram per 
    degree Celsius (J/g.°C).Water has a very high specific heat, 4.18J/g.°C. 

    The high specific heat of water allows it to absorb a lot of heat energy without large 
    increase in temperature keeping ocean coasts and beaches cool during hot seasons. 
    It allows it to be used as an effective coolant to absorb heat.

    The relationship between heat and temperature is given by:

                       

    ΔT = change in temperature

    Note: Heat capacity, C, can never be negative for a mass or a substance, and similarly 
    the specific heat of a substance can never be negative. Therefore, if the change in 
    temperature is negative, the initial temperature is higher than the final temperature. 

    The heat capacity of an object depends on its mass: 200 g of water requires twice as 
    much heat to raise its temperature by 1°C than 100 g of water. It also depends on the 
    type of material: 1000 J of heat energy will raise the temperature of 100 g of sand by 

    12°C, but only raise the temperature of 100 g of water by 2.4°C.

              

    14.3. Experimental methods for finding the standard enthalpy 

               of combustion reactions

          Activity 14.3

    To investigate the enthalpy of combustion of ethanol
    Requirements
    • spirit burner (containing ethanol) 
    • thermometer 
    • copper can 
    • measuring cylinder 
    • retort stand and accessories
    • balance 
    • breeze shield

    Safety precautions
    • Ethanol is highly flammable and the main risk is from burns. 
    • Since a small amount is burned the build-up of any products of incomplete 
    combustion is negligible. 
    • Wear eye protection. 
    • Ensure the spirit burner is always sitting in a stable position. 
    • If you have to re-fill the spirit burner, allow it to cool and then fill it away 

       from sources of ignition.

    Procedure

    1. Weigh the spirit burner (already containing ethanol) with its cap on 
        and record its mass. (The cap should be kept on to cut down the loss of 
        ethanol through evaporation) 
    2. Using the measuring cylinder, measure out 100 cm3
        of water into the copper can. 
    3. Set up the apparatus as directed by your teacher. 
    4. Measure and record the temperature of the water. 
    5. Remove the cap from the spirit burner and immediately light the 
         burner. 
    6. Slowly and continuously stir the water with the thermometer.
    7. When the temperature has risen by about 10 °C, recap the spirit burner, 
         measure and record the maximum temperature of the water. 

    8. Reweigh the spirit burner and record its mass.

    Calculations

    a. The heat energy gained by the water (q) can be calculated using the 
         formula: q = c m ∆T 

     b. The difference in the initial and final masses of the spirit burner gives us the 
          mass of ethanol burned (say x g) and so the heat energy we calculat is equal 
         to that released by burning x g of ethanol. It is assumed that all the heat 
         energy released by the burning ethanol is absorbed only by the water. 

    c. We can work out the mass of one mole of ethanol and knowing how much 
        heat energy is released when x g of ethanol is burned we can calculate the 
        heat energy released when one mole of ethanol is burned. This will be equal 

        to the enthalpy of combustion of ethanol.

    A calorimeter is a device used to measure the amount of heat energy exchanged 
    (released or absorbed) in a reaction. If a calorimetry experiment is carried out under 
    a constant pressure, the heat transferred provides a direct measure of the enthalpy 
    change of the reaction. 

    Simple determination of enthalpy of combustion can use 

    a simple calorimeter described by the Figure 14.1below. 

                 

    The energy produced by the combustion of the fuel is used to heat a known mass 
    (m) of water. Therefore, the heat provided by the fuel is equal to the heat received 

    by water. 

    Its amount may be calculated using the relation: 
    Where: m is the mass of water
    Cs is the specific heat capacity of water
    ∆T is the temperature change

    Knowing the mass of the fuel used, its enthalpy of combustion may be calculated.

    Example:

            

    Answer:

                  

    A more accurate method of determining the enthalpy of combustion is the use of 
    a bomb calorimeter (Figure 14.2). It is based on the same principle as the simple 
    experiment involving fuel burners, but it is more accurate because the heat loss is 

    reduced to zero.

                                          

                     Figure 14.2 Schematic diagram of a bomb calorimeter 

                     Source : https://www.chem.fsu.edu/chemlab/chm1045/energy.html

    In a bomb calorimeter, a sample of a compound is electrically ignited and the heat 

    energy obtained by combustion heats the water in the calorimeter. 

       Checking up 14.3     

              

         14.4. Experimental methods for finding the standard enthalpy 

           of neutralisation reactions

          Activity 14.4

     To investigate the enthalpy of neutralization of hydrochloric acid by 
     sodium hydroxide.

    Requirements:
    Each group will be provided with:
    2 plastic beakers
    50 mL of 1 M HCl
    50 mL of 1 M NaOH
    Thermometer
    Scale

    Weigh boats

    Procedure:

          

    Discussion questions

           

    Calorimetry is also used to determine the enthalpy change of a reaction taking 
    place in solution. For an exothermic reaction, the heat energy released increases the 
    temperature of the water in solution while for an endothermic reaction, the heat 
    energy absorbed is derived from water in the solution and the temperature of the 
    solution falls.

    When hydrochloric acid reacts with sodium hydroxide, the temperature of the mixture 

    rises and the heat is transferred to the plastic beaker, the process is exothermic.

    Example: 

    Consider the results from an experiment similar to the one described above:

           

    Enthalpy change = mass of the solution x specific heat capacity x temperature rise

          

           

        

    Checking up 14.4

             

         14.5. Hess’s law or Law of constant heat summation 

          Activity 14.5

           

    Observe the above image and answer the following questions. 

     1. In which case a person climbing by foot, Karisimbi volcano from point A to 
           point B:
       a) Travels a greater distance?
       b) Has more difficulties to reach point B?
    2. In which case a person who climbs Karisimbi volcano from A to B, the gain in 
         gravitational energy is the highest?
    3. Can you give a different example to illustrate the same phenomenon?
    4. What conclusion to draw from the two examples? 
    5. Is any relation between the conclusion and the heat exchanged in a chemical 
         reaction? Illustrate your opinion with examples and come up with a general 
         conclusion. 

    6. Compare your ideas to the first law of thermodynamics.

    The increase in gravitational potential energy that occurs when a person climbs 
    from the base to the top of a volcano like Karisimbi or someone who is elevated 
    from the first to the fourth floor of a building is independent of the pathway taken.

    That gain in gravitational potential is a state function that is analogous to a 
    thermodynamic state function.

    Remember that the enthalpy (heat of reaction) is a state function. This means that a 
    change in enthalpy does not depend on how the change was made, but only on the 
    initial state and final state of the system; it is independent of the pathway. 

    In 1840, the Russian chemist Germain Henri Hess, a professor at the University of St. 
    Petersburg, discovered from his thermochemical studies that the enthalpy change is 
    a state function. The result from his experiment was known as Hess’s law or Law of 
    Constant Heat Summation. This law state that “the heat evolved or absorbed in a 
    chemical process is the same whether the process takes place in one or in several steps”

    In other words, no matter how you go from a given set of reactants to a set of 
    products, the enthalpy change for the overall chemical reaction is the same whether 
    the reaction takes place in one step or in a series of steps.

    The enthalpy change is independent of the pathway of the process and the number of 
    intermediate steps in the process.

    Hess’s law can be illustrated by the following reaction:

                     

    The reaction can be decomposed into two steps. The two steps and the overall 

    process are represented by the following thermochemical equations.

                     

    The two processes can be represented in a thermochemical cycle. This diagram is 

    known as the Hess’s principle (Figure 14.3).

                    

      Examples: 

    1. Determination of the enthalpy change for the complete combustion of 
    carbon.

    The direct reaction of carbon with oxygen yields carbon dioxide. However, 
    in the first step carbon gives carbon monoxide which is then oxidised 
    to carbon dioxide during the second step. The two-step reactions 
    corresponding to Hess’s law diagram for the formation of carbon dioxide 

    are shown as follows.

                

                

               

    Note: The enthalpy change can be calculated by adding equations corresponding 
    to the different combustion to obtain the main equation. Then, the enthalpy change 
    is obtained by addition of the corresponding enthalpy change values multiplied by 

    appropriate coefficient and if necessary, some of them are reversed.

    Main equation:

        

            Equation corresponding to the different combustions

            3 moles of C(s) react in the main equation so the first equation is multiplied by 3, 

       

            1 mole of propanone is formed in the main equation so the third equation should 

            be reversed.

             Checking up 14.5

              

              14.6. Application of Hess’s law

    Activity 14.6

    1. State the Hess’s law?
    2. Describe how enthalpy of formation of propan-1-ol, hexane, sulphuric 

    acid, can be determined.

    The Hess’s law can be applied to calculate enthalpies of reactions that are difficult 

    or impossible to measure. 

    Hess’s law states that if a reaction is carried out in a series of steps, ∆H of the 
    reaction will be equal to the sum of enthalpy changes for the steps provided 
    that the initial and the final conditions are the same.
    (Or the total enthalpy change 

    is independent of the route).

    Examples:

                  

                 

                 

                         

    14.7. Born-Haber cycle

    Activity 14.8

    1. Refer to the trends in physical properties of chemical elements and 
       chemical bonding, explain each of the following terms. 
    a. Ionization enthalpy
    b. Electron affinity
    c. Atomization enthalpy
    d. Dissociation enthalpy
    e. Sublimation energy
    f. Enthalpy of formation
    2. State the Hess’s law.
    3. Can the Hess’s law apply or not to the formation of an ionic compound? 

        Justify your answer using an example.

    In the previous sections, the Hess’s law and Lattice energy were discussed. Recall 
    that the Hess’s law of Constant Heat Summation states that the enthalpy change is 
    independent of the pathway of the process and the number of intermediate steps in the 

    process.

    Lattice formation enthalpy is the enthalpy change when one mole of an ionic 
    compound is formed from its gaseous ions at the standard temperature and pressure.
    Because all the bonds in the ionic lattice are broken, it is an endothermic process.

    To determine directly the lattice energy of an ionic solid experimentally is not 
    easier.
    However, an indirect process known as Born–Haber cycle can be used based on 

    Hess’s law.

    A Born-Haber cycle is a thermodynamic cycle which relates the lattice energy of 
    an ionic compound to its enthalpy of formation and other measurable quantities. 
    Lattice enthalpies of ionic compounds give a good indication as to the strength of 
    the ionic bonding in the lattice. Born-Haber cycle provides a useful way to account 
    for the relative stabilities of the chemical compounds and the relative stability of 
    the compound is determined by the lattice enthalpy of a compound. The lattice 
    enthalpy of an ionic compound is determined by breaking up the formation of an 
    ionic compound into a series of steps and then, all the steps will be added for the 
    overall reaction. In general, Born-Haber cycles are enthalpy cycles that show how 

    ionic compounds are formed from their elements.

             

     14.8. Lattice enthalpy

    Activity 14.7

    Referring to what you have learned so far in chemistry, attempt the following questions.

    1. What is meant by ionic bond?
    2. Explain the main steps in the formation of an ionic bond showing clearly 

         the energy change involved in each step.

               

    A lot of energy is released as the ionic bond is formed. The reaction is highly 
    exothermic because there are strong electrostatic attractions between ions of 
    opposite charges. The relative values of lattice enthalpy are governed by the charge 

    denssity of the ions.

                  

     The value of lattice formation enthalpy cannot be measured directly; it is calculated 
    using the Born-Haber cycle. The greater the charge densities of the ions, the more 

    they attract each other and the larger the lattice enthalpy.

    The more exothermic the lattice enthalpy, the higher is the melting point.

                   

      dissociation enthalpy.

    Lattice dissociation enthalpy is the enthalpy change when one mole of an ionic 
    lattice dissociates into isolated gaseous ions. Since there is a strong electrostatic 
    attraction between ions of opposite charge, a lot of energy must be supplied to 

    overcome the attraction.   

                      

                    

                        

     Examples of enthalpy changes that are commonly used in Born-Haber cycles are 
    the following:
           i. Enthalpy change of formation
          ii. Atomisation enthalpies
         iii. Ionisation enthalpy

         iv. Electron affinity

    The following diagram represents a general illustration of the Born-Haber cycle.

    The application of Hess’s law to this cycle made possible the calculation of the 
    lattice enthalpy.

    The arrows pointing upwards represent the endothermic changes while those 
    pointing downwards show the exothermic changes.

    From the Born-Haber Cycle, the enthalpy change associated with the route depicted 
    by the red arrow is equal to the enthalpy change of the route shown by the blue 

    arrow.

               

               

               

              Checking up 14.8

    1. Construct and interpret a Born-Haber cycle for calcium fluoride showing 
         clearly the enthalpy changes involved.
    2. a. Write an equation for the standard enthalpy of formation of aluminium 
               oxide.
        b. Construct and interpret a Born-Haber cycle for aluminium oxide and 
              explain how it would be used to calculate the lattice enthalpy of aluminium 

             oxide.

    14.9. Born-Haber cycle: Calculations of the lattice enthalpy

    Activity 14.9

    1. Construct a Born-Haber cycle for the formation of an ionic compound MX.
    2. Explain how the cycle can be used to calculate the lattice enthalpy of 

         the compound mentioned in 1)

    Examples:

    1. Determining the lattice enthalpy of lithium fluoride using the Born-Haber 
         cycle 
         Using the Born-Haber cycle constructed previously for lithium fluoride, its 

         lattice enthalpy can be calculated as follow

                

               

    2. Determination of the first electron affinity of oxygen

    A Born-Haber cycle for the formation of calcium oxide is shown below.

             

          

          

     14.10. Hydration energy

    Activity 14.10

    Experiment on solubility of ionic compounds

    Requirements:

    Test tubes
    Spatula
    Distilled water
    Sodium chloride
    Sodium hydroxide
    Potassium bromide
    Silver chloride
    Sodium carbonate
    Potassium hydroxide
    Magnesium hydroxide
    Magnesium sulphate
    Barium hydroxide
    Barium sulphate

    Procedure
    1. Put 10mL of distilled water in a test tube
    2. Add a half spatula end full of sodium chloride and shake
    3. Record all your observations
    4. Repeat steps 1-3 using the different salts

    5. Record your findings in the table below.

            

    6. Compare the lattice enthalpy of compounds of soluble compounds to 
         those of sparingly soluble or insoluble compounds and deduce the general 
         trends.

    7. What term is given to the interactions between solute and solvent?

    Some ionic compounds such as sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride are very 
    soluble while others like magnesium carbonate, are sparingly soluble or insoluble 
    (calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, barium sulphate). The dissolution of 
    some compounds such as sodium hydroxide release the heat energy and the process 

    is exothermic.

    If a pair of oppositely charged gaseous ions are placed together, they are attracted 
    to each other. The energy change (lattice enthalpy) is highly exothermic. If the ions 
    were placed in water, they would be attracted to the polar water molecules leading 
    to the energy change (hydration enthalpy) which is highly exothermic. In both cases, 

    the greater the charge density of the ions, the more exothermic will be the process.

    The enthalpy change when one mole of a gaseous ion dissolves in water (excess) to 
    give an infinitely  dilute solution is called enthalpy change of hydration 

    The solvent-solute interactions are referred as “solvation”.

    When an ionic compound dissolves in water, the process can either be exothermic 
    or endothermic. 
    The enthalpy of solution of a compound is the heat energy change at constant pressure 
    when one mole of a compound dissolves completely in water.
    For example when sodium chloride dissolves in water, the overall process is 

    represented as:

             

    The first step is to separate the ions in the crystal. This requires energy to overcome 
    the attractive forces between oppositely charged ions. The corresponding lattice 

    dissociation energy according to the dissociation of the compound is:

                          

       

             

            14.11. Average standard bond enthalpy

             Activity 14.11

    Using internet or textbooks do research and answer the following questions.
    1. Explain the term covalent bond and describe the formation of a covalent 
        bond.
    2. What are the factors that affect the strength of a covalent bond?

    3. Relate the bond strength to the reactivity of a covalent compound

    1. Formation of a covalent bond

    The covalent bond is a bond formed when atoms share a pair of electrons to 
    complete the octet. The covalent bonds mostly occur between non-metals or 
    between molecules formed by the same (or similar) elements. Two atoms with 
    similar electronegativity do not exchange an electron from their outermost shell; 

    the atoms instead share electrons and their valence electron shell is filled.

    The build-up of electron density between two nuclei occurs when a valence atomic 
    orbital of one atom overlaps with that of another atom, each orbital containing a 
    single electron.

    The orbitals share a region of space, i.e. they overlap. The overlap of orbitals allows 
    two electrons of opposite spin to share the common space between the nuclei, 

    forming a covalent bond.

    2. Factors influencing the strength of a covalent bond

    i. Size of the atoms
    Small atoms have shorter bond length and thus have better overlap of 
    orbitals while
    larger atoms tend to have more diffused orbitals, resulting in less effective 
    overlap
    ii. Number of bonds between atoms
          Bond strength: triple bond > double bond > single bond
           “>”: “stronger than”
          Species with more electrons to share form more bonds between atoms, 
          resulting in atoms held closer together.

           Polarity of bon

    iii) Polar bond is generally stronger than non-polar bond; the extra 
    electrostatic attraction between partial charges gives rise to a stronger bond.

    iv. Presence of neighbouring lone pair electrons
    Atoms which are very small in size and have lone pairs in close proximity will 
    result in excessive repulsion that weakens the covalent bond.

    3. Bond enthalpy
    Bond enthalpy (energy) is the amount of energy required to break one mole 
    of gaseous bonds to form gaseous atoms. It is known as the bond dissociation 
    enthalpy. 

    Bond energy may also be defined as the amount of energy released when two 
    atoms are linked together by a covalent bond. It is expressed in kJ mol-1 or Kcal 

    mol-1.

    The bond energy is a measure of the strength of a chemical bond. The smaller 
    the bond enthalpy the weaker the bond and the easier is to break the bond.

    The process of breaking a bond is endothermic while the bond-formation is an 

    exothermic process.

       

    Note: For diatomic gas molecules, the bond enthalpy is equal to two times the 
    enthalpy of atomization.

    The exact bond enthalpy of a particular chemical bond depends on the environment 
    of the bond in the compound. Therefore, the bond enthalpy values given are 

    averaged values (Table 14.3).

             Table 14.3: Examples of some values of average bond enthalpy.

          

    The bond enthalpy values are used to:
    • compare the strengths of bonds
    • estimate the enthalpy change of a reaction
    • explain the mechanisms of reaction

    • explain the structure and bonding

                 

                 14.12. Calculating enthalpy change of reaction using average 

                   bond enthalpies

                 Activity 14.12

                 1. Define the term average bond enthalpy.

                 2. Consider the following reactions:

                   

    a. Explain how the enthalpy change of each of them may be determined.

    b. During chemical reactions, bonds are broken in the reactants and 
    new bonds are formed in the products. When bonds are broken, there 
    is a release of heat energy known as the bond dissociation energy. 
    When bonds are formed energy is released. Do research and show the 
    relationship between average bond dissociation enthalpy values and the 
    heat exchanged during a chemical process.

    Breaking chemical bonds requires energy (endothermic), and forming chemical 
    bonds releases energy (exothermic). To determine if a chemical reaction is 
    endothermic or exothermic depends on whether or not breaking the old chemical 
    bonds requires more energy than the energy released from the new chemical bonds 

    formed. 

    When the standard enthalpy change for a reaction cannot be measured, an 
    approximate value is obtained by using average standard bond enthalpies. During 
    a chemical reaction, the energy is provided to break bonds of the reactants, and 
    energy released when the new bonds of the products are formed. 

    The standard enthalpy of reaction is the difference between the sum of average 
    bonds enthalpies of the products and the sum of average standard bond enthalpies 

    of the reactants.

                       

                   

                      

                       

    14.13. End unit assessment

                    

                     

                     

                       

                         

                             

                              

                               

  • UNIT 15: ENTROPY AND FREE ENERGY

    Key unity competence: 

    To be able to Predict the feasibility of chemical reactions.

    Learning Objectives
    By end of this unit a learner should be able to:
    • Explain the term entropy
    • State the second law of thermodynamics
    • State if the value of free energy for a reaction will be positive or negative.
    • Relate the entropy changes to the changes in degree of disorder

    • Predict the spontaneity of reactions using the Gibbs free energy values

    INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY

                  

    Observe the pictures above of playing cards and answer related questions.
    1. What is the difference between the two organizations of playing cards
    2. In which conditions (arrangement) to play card is easy? Explain

    3. Why people toss cards before playing them

    15.1. Definition of entropy and change in entropy

    Activity 15.1 Investigation of entropy of a substance.
    1. Take three beakers and label them by A, B, and C
    2. In beaker A add 50 grams of ice
    3. In beaker B add 50 mL of water
    4. In beaker C add 25 mL of water and heat it up to transformation to liquid 
        state (vapors)
    5. Pour the container of beaker A and B, then compare it to the movement 
    of vapors in C
    a. In which beaker, A, B or C where the molecules move easily (high 
         speed)?
    b. In which beaker A, B or C where the molecules move slowly (low 
         speed)?
    c. Order the beakers to the order of mobility of the container.
    d. Explain why the mobility of molecules in beakers A, B and C varies. 
    e. Which factor that make the variation of water in different states to 

         move differently in the beakers A, B and C?

    15.1.1. Definition of entropy

    Entropy is a thermodynamic function that describes the number of arrangements 
    (positions and/or energy levels) that are available to a system existing in a given 
    state. Entropy is a quantitative measure of microscopic disorder for a system. It is defined 
    as the degree of disorder or randomness of a system. The entropy of a system increases 
    as the disorder of the system increases. When we focus on the molecular motion of a 
    system, adding heat to this system increases the disorder because the heat increases 

    the randomness of the molecular motion. So, the entropy of the system increases. 

    The effect of adding heat to a system increases the molecular motion, and this 
    results in more disorder of the system. Entropy is derived from the second law of 
    thermodynamics, which states that “all systems tend to reach a state of equilibrium”. 
    Based on the state of matter, the entropy increases in the order: Solids < liquids < gases 
    substances (Figure 15.1). If we consider three substances such as solid, liquid and a gas. 
    A mole of a substance has a much smaller volume in the solid state than it does in 
    the gaseous state. In the solid state, the molecules are close together, with relatively 
    few positions available to them; in the gaseous state, the molecules are far apart, 
    with many more positions available to them. The liquid state is closer to the solid 

    state than it is to the gaseous state in these terms. 

                

    In the above Figure, the molecules are closely packed in the solid state, in the liquid 
    state; the molecules are not very closed while in a gas the molecules are far apart 
    which increase the entropy in gas than liquid or solid. 

    The following Tables 15.1 and 15.2 show the relationship between the state of a 

    substance and its entropy:

                    Table 15.1. Entropy variation with state of a substance

                  

    In the above Table 15.2, the element argon has a  greater entropy value than  the 
    carbon element (graphite) because argon is a gas with greater disorder and random 
    particle movement than the solid state of carbon.

    The entropy of a perfect crystal at absolute zero is exactly equal to zero. At absolute 
    zero (zero kelvin), the system must be in a state with the minimum possible energy. 
    As the temperature increases, the particles vibrate more and the disorder increases.

    Melting is associated with an increase in entropy  (disorder), however,  boiling 
    is associated with a large  increase  in entropy: gases are associated with 

    considerable random particle in movement and disorder.

    15.1.2. Change in entropy

    Entropy, like temperature, pressure, and enthalpy, is also a state property and is 
    represented in the literature by the symbol “S”. The entropy change is represented 
    by ΔS.
    It is known that the main purpose of chemistry is the study of chemical reactions. In 
    this section, it is important to consider the entropy changes accompanying chemical 
    reactions that occur under conditions of constant temperature and pressure. The 
    entropy changes in the surroundings are determined by the transfer of heat that 
    occurs when the reaction takes place. However, the entropy changes in the system 
    (the reactants and products of the reaction) are determined by positional probability.

    For example, consider the reaction of production of ammonia in the Haber process:

                 

    It is seen that four molecules of reactants yield two molecules of ammonia product 
    which lead to less disorder in the system. If the number of molecules of the gaseous 
    products is greater than the number of molecules of the gaseous reactants, positional 
    entropy typically increases, and ∆S will be positive for the reaction.

    The calculation of the entropy change of a reaction is given by applying the formula:

                      

    For a chemical reaction which involves the reactants and the products, the change 

    in entropy is calculated as follows.

                        

    Any reaction that results in the formation of a gas, an increase in the number of 
    gaseous moles, results in the increase of the disorder. Entropy change, ∆S, relates to 
    increasing disorder of a process, either arising through physical change (e.g. melting, 
    evaporation) or chemical change (e.g. dissolution, evolution of 
     from hydrogen carbonates with acid) or both.
                  
     The chemical reactions are favored if they are accompanied by an increase in entropy.
    2. Consider the thermal decomposition of solid calcium carbonate, predict the sign 

    of the standard entropy 

                     

    In this reaction, a solid reactant produces a molecule of gas, the positional entropy 

    increases, and  is positive

    For this reaction, three molecules of gaseous reactants become two molecules of 

    gaseous products. Because the number of gas molecules produced decreases, the 

    entropy decreases also, and is negative.

    Note:

    i. Many endothermic reactions proceed spontaneously under normal 
    conditions because there is an increase in entropy. 
     ii. Some exothermic reactions do not proceed spontaneously because there is 
    a decrease in entropy. In a system with perfect order, the entropy is equal to 
    zero. An example of perfect order is found in a crystalline substance at the 
    absolute zero of temperature, where atomic and molecular motion cease. 

    The entropy of pure, perfect crystal can be taken to be zero at 0 K.

         

     15.2. Second law of thermodynamics

    Activity 15.2

    1. State and explain the first law of thermodynamics
    2. What is the relation between the first law of thermodynamics and 

         thermochemistry?

    In chemistry, thermodynamics deals with the energy and work of a system. There 
    are three laws in thermodynamics: first, second and third law. The first law establish 
    the relationship between the different forms of energy present in a system (kinetic 
    and potential), the work done by the system and the energy or heat transferred. The 
    second law of thermodynamics is dealing with entropy which describes the disorder 
    of the system. The Second law of thermodynamics states that in any spontaneous 
    process, the state of entropy of the entire universe, as an isolated system always 
    increases over time. It also states that the changes in the entropy in the universe can 

    never be negative.

               

    Following are the statements of second law of thermodynamics:
    a. All spontaneous process are irreversible in nature.
    b. The net entropy of the universe in any natural process always increases 
    and tends to acquire the maximum value.

    c. In a reversible process, the sum of entropies of the system and surroundings 
    remains constant but in an irreversible process, the total entropy of the system 

    and surroundings increases. 

       

            

               

           15.3. Free energy, the deciding factor 

            

             

              

             

              

                  

                   

               

             15.4. Feasibility of chemical reactions: relationship between free 

               energy, enthalpy and entropy feasibility

             Activity 15.4. 

    1. Define exothermic and endothermic reaction 
    2. What is the relation between enthalpy change and entropy or the 
         reaction?
    3. Explain how a reaction is favored by the entropy. 

    4. How the entropy and enthalpy make the reaction to be possible

              

           

            

                   

    Answers: here we refer to the relation between the entropy free energy and 
        enthalpy
    a. negative because both ∆H and (-T∆S) are negative
    b. could be negative or positive because ∆H is negative and (-T∆S) is 
        negative 
    c. could be negative or positive because ∆H is negative and (-T∆S) is 
        positive 
    d. positive because both (-T∆S) and ∆H are positive 
    e. in (a) no, ∆H and(-T∆S) both are negative at all temperatures 
    f. In (b) yes at high T (-T∆S) has high negative value and may have a positive 
       ∆H

    In (c) yes, negative ∆H could be positive (-T∆S) at high temperature
    In (d) no, ∆H and (-T∆S) are both positive at all temperatures

                    

                      
                      
                         
                       

                        REFERENCES

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    Schmitz, A. (2018, March 25). Introduction to Chemistry: General, Organic, 
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