Question
Question: Compound A reduced \(HgC{{l}_{2}}\), to a white precipitate, turning to grey. Solution of A turns th...
Compound A reduced HgCl2, to a white precipitate, turning to grey. Solution of A turns the yellow coloured solution of FeCl3 to a green coloured solution. Solution of A gives white precipitate with NaOH which dissolves in excess of NaOH. Moreover, the solution of 'A' gives yellow precipitate, FeCl3 when H2S gas is passed through it. This precipitate dissolved in yellow ammonium sulphide. Compound 'A' is found to give chromyl chloride test. Identify the compound 'A' and give the reaction involved.
Solution
As it is given in the question that compound A reduces ferric chloride solution to a green solution, so compound A must be a good reducing agent.
Complete step-by step solution:
In order to answer our question, we need to notice each and every reaction properly. Now, let us start from the reaction of A and H2S. It is given in the question that A reacts with H2S gas and a yellow precipitate is obtained. Moreover, this yellow precipitate is soluble in yellow ammonium sulphide. Let us try to write the reaction for it:
A+H2S→yellowppt….(i)
Now, it is also said that A reduced the compound HgCl2. The name of the test is called chromyl chloride test and it detects the presence of chlorine. Now, from (i), we can deduce that A is the cation of tin. A can be assumed as Sn2+. Also, as it passes the chromyl chloride test, so A must also contain chlorine. So, from all this information, we can say that the compound A is SnCl2.Now, we have been also given that compound A turns FeCl3 to a green coloured solution. As no more atoms are present, the green coloured solution has to be FeCl2. So, the compound A acts as a reducing agent, in the reaction. So, we have confirmed A to be SnCl2. Let us see the reactions that are involved throughout the question.
A+HgCl2→whitepptSnCl2+HgCl2→Hg2Cl2
Here, the white precipitate is Hg2Cl2. Some amount of SnCl4 is also formed.
SnCl2+FeCl3→FeCl2
Let us check the white precipitate that is formed by reacting with NaOH. So, we have
SnCl2+NaOH→Sn(OH)2, which is a white ppt
Sn(OH)+NaOH→Na2SnO2, this is a soluble compound
SnCl2+H2S→SnS
It is a yellow ppt, HCl is also formed in the reaction. Finally, we have
SnS+(NH4)2S→(NH4)2SnS3, which is again a soluble compound.
NOTE: In the final reaction, the compound (NH4)2S, the name is ammonium sulphide and it is a yellow solid. FeCl3 is a yellow coloured solution, whereas FeCl2 is green coloured.