Stuff to know Flashcards
Explain how a sigma bond is formed
End-on overlap with electron density between the two atoms
Explain the creation of a Pi bond
Sideways overlap with electron density above and below sigma bond
How to determine if reaction is spontaneous
If delta G is negative
Outline two differences between an electrolytic cell and a voltaic cell
Electrolytic cell converts electrical energy to chemical energy
Voltaic cell converts chemical energy to electrical energy
Electrolytic cells use electricity to carry out a redox chemical reaction and a voltaic cell uses a redox reaction to create electricity
Electrolytic cells require a power supply and voltaic cells do not
In an electrolytic cell, cathode is negative and anode is positive, this is vice versa for voltaic cell
Voltaic cell has two separate solutions and electrolytic cell has one solution
Voltaic cell has a salt bridge and electrolytic cell has no salt bridge
In electrolytic cell, oxidation occurs at positive electrode/anode and voltaic cell, oxidation occurs at the negative electrode/anode
State one reason why aluminum is preferred to iron in many uses regarding electrolysis
Al does not corrode/rust
Al is less dense
Better conductor
More malleable
Distinguish in terms of electronic structure, between the terms “group” and “period”
period has same number of valence shells
group has same number of electrons in valence shell
Electroplating is an important application of electrolysis. State the composition of the electrodes and the electrolyte used in the silver electroplating process.
Cathode: object to be plated: spoon
Anode: Silver/ Ag
Electrolyte: [AgNo3] or [Ag(CN)2]-
Define average bond enthalpy
minimum energy required to break 1 mole of a bond in a gaseous molecule/state
average values obtained from a number of similar bonds/compounds
Describe, using equations, the complete and incomplete combustion of alkanes.
C8H18 + 12.5 O2 -> 8CO2 + 9H2O
Gasoline and many other fuels rarely burn this way
If supply of air/oxygen is limited, then incomplete combustion occurs
Carbon monoxide may be formed
Hydrogen still converted to water
Highly toxic and a major source of air pollution
How can Alkanes react with chlorine or bromine
Through a substitution reaction to give an initial product in which one hydrogen atom is replaced by the halogen
Usually brought about by exposure to ultraviolet light or sunlight, though they will also occur without light at very high temperatures
Free radical chain reaction
Reaction with an alkane, such as methane, with a halogen
Split up into three steps: Initiation, propagation, and termination
Initiation
Cl-Cl -> Cl’ + ‘Cl
Propagation
Cl’ + H-CH3 -> Cl-H + ‘CH3
‘CH3 + Cl-Cl -> Cl-CH3 + ‘Cl
Termination
Cl’ + ‘Cl -> Cl-Cl
Cl’ + ‘CH3 -> CH3-Cl
Ch3’ + ‘CH3 -> Ch3-Ch3
Addition reaction
A reaction in which the double bond of an alkene is converted to a single bond and two new bonds are formed to the species it reacts with
typical of alkenes and alkynes
Hydrogenation
Addition reaction between alkenes and hydrogen halides such as Hydrogen chloride
Activation energy is slightly higher, but if a gaseous mixture of an alkene and hydrogen is passed over a heated nickel catalyst, an addition reaction to form an alkane occurs
Basis of conversion of vegetable oils, which contain a number of C=C double bonds, into margarine, which has fewer double bonds and hence a higher melting point
Define a polymer
long chain molecules that are formed by the joining together of a large number of repeating units, called monomers, by a process of polymerization
Define monomers
repeating units that join together in large quantities through the process of polymerization in order to create a polymer
Describe the Addition Polymerization Reaction
Monomers contain double bonds and in the addition reaction new bonds form between these monomer units
Simplest polymerization reaction of this type is that of ethene when heated with a catalyst to form polyethene
n CH2=CH2 -> [-CH2-CH2-]n
Name three common polymers
polythene
poly(chloroethene)
polypropene
Describe, using equations, the complete combustion of alcohols
Alcohols burn readily in air to form CO2 and H2O
As with all such combustion reactions, carbon monoxide or even carbon can be produced if the air supply is restricted
Hydrogen is never a product of combustion
Describe the oxidation reactions of alcohols
Hydrogen atoms attached to the same carbon as the -OH group are readily oxidized and so these three classes of alcohols behave in rather different ways when they react with oxidizing agents such as acidified potassium dichromate
primary (One C atom on -OH carbon)
have two readily oxidized H and so undergo 2 stages of oxidation to yield aldehydes and then carboxylic acids
secondary (2 C atoms on -OH C)
Have one reactive H and so undergo one stage of oxidation to yield ketones
tertiary (3 C atoms on -OH C)
Do not have any reactive hydrogen atoms and are not readily oxidized
How to obtain an aldehyde from the oxidation of a primary alcohol
Both aldehydes and alcohols are polar
alcohols have higher boiling points as these experience hydrogen bonding in addition to dipole-dipole forces
In practice to obtain an aldehyde, the alcohol is added to the boiling oxidizing agent so that as soon as the more volatile aldehyde is formed, it distils off before it can be further oxidized.
How to obtain a carboxylic acid from the oxidation of a primary alcohol
A more concentrated solution of the oxidizing agent is used and the mixture is refluxed so that the aldehyde cannot escape further oxidation
What does heating under reflux allow?
Allows us to carry out a reaction at the boiling point of the solvent without any loss of the solvent.
The vapor from the boiling solvent turns back to a liquid in the vertical condenser and drips back into the flask.
Homologous series
Series of compounds that have the same functional group (hence similar chemical properties) and only differ from each other by the presence of an additional carbon atom and it’s two associated hydrogen atoms in the molecule
Explain why the hydroxide ion is a better nucleophile than water
It is negatively charged and hence attracted to the partial positive charge on the carbon attached to the halogen
As a result SN2 hydrolysis reactions occur more rapidly in aqueous alkali than in neutral solution
What is a nucleophilic substitution reaction?
The reaction of halogenoalkanes with the hydroxide ion
Occurs in 2 different mechanisms
SN1
SN2