Hydrogen peroxide as an oxidising agent

[Moogie]

Hi

I recently did a reaction (see my last post for specifics) where hydrogen peroxide acted as an oxidising agent under basic conditions to oxidise Mn2+ ions in solution to MnO2

It did look as if some gas was liberated but hydogen peroxide only liberates oxygen when it is reduced.

Hydrogen peroxide can decompose in base so I'm thinking maybe the gas was oxygen released this reaction occurring simultaneously.

The only species available to react were chloride ions, hydroxide ions and water.

Thanks

 

[Borek]

MnO₂ is a catalyst that nicely decomposes hydrogen peroxide. Many metal oxides do the same.

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[Moogie]

Ah right, so the hydrogen peroxide is oxidising the Mn2+ to MnO2 and then the Mn02 produced is actually catalysing the breakdown of any excess hydrogen peroxide.

That would explain why some people had gas liberated and others didn't - the ones with gas chucked in loads of peroxide!

 

[Moogie]

Thanks very much

 

[DeeNos]

for sharing your experiment with us. Hydrogen peroxide is indeed a common oxidizing agent that is often used in chemical reactions. When hydrogen peroxide is added to a basic solution, it can act as an oxidizing agent by accepting electrons from other compounds, causing them to be oxidized. In your experiment, the Mn2+ ions were oxidized to MnO2 by hydrogen peroxide, which itself was reduced to water.

It is possible that the gas observed in your reaction was oxygen, as hydrogen peroxide can decompose into oxygen and water under certain conditions. However, it is also possible that the gas was a byproduct of another reaction occurring simultaneously, as you mentioned.

In addition to chloride ions, hydroxide ions, and water, there may have been other species present in the solution that could have reacted with the hydrogen peroxide. Further investigation and analysis of the reaction products could help identify the exact nature of the gas liberated.

Overall, your experiment demonstrates the versatility of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent in basic conditions. Its ability to accept electrons and cause oxidation reactions makes it a useful tool in many scientific and industrial processes. Thank you for sharing your findings with us.