Why do strong oxidizers and hydroxide not react with each other?

[ShawnD]

Hydroxide is a strong reducing agent, probably the strongest that can exist in water.
Oxyacids without the hydrogen are all strong oxidizing agents, but most oxyacids (all?), without their hydrogen, can be put in a strong hydroxide solution and nothing will happen. Oxidation of organics with potassium permanganate is often done in the presence of a strong base. Potassium nitrate and sodium hydroxide don't seem to react. Sodium hypochlorite is made by bubbling chlorine gas into sodium hydroxide, so obviously hypochlorite does not react with hydroxide, or it does at a rate so slow that it's almost nonexistent.

Shouldn't something happen between oxyacids and hydroxide?

 

[lightarrow]

Hydroxide is a strong reducing agent

?

, probably the strongest that can exist in water.

$$\displaystyle {OH^-}$$

doesn't react with water to give

$$\displaystyle {H_2}$$.

Oxyacids without the hydrogen

What do you mean? Their coniugated base?

are all strong oxidizing agents

Not all.

$$\displaystyle {H_2SO_3, ~H_2CO_3, ~H_3PO_4,~H_3BO_3}$$

are not (for example) and not even their coniugated bases:

$$\displaystyle {HSO_3^-, ~SO_3^{2-},~HCO_3^-,~\displaystyle{ecc.}$$

, but most oxyacids (all?), without their hydrogen, can be put in a strong hydroxide solution and nothing will happen. Oxidation of organics with potassium permanganate is often done in the presence of a strong base. Potassium nitrate and sodium hydroxide don't seem to react. Sodium hypochlorite is made by bubbling chlorine gas into sodium hydroxide, so obviously hypochlorite does not react with hydroxide, or it does at a rate so slow that it's almost nonexistent.
Shouldn't something happen between oxyacids and hydroxide?

Yes, an acid-base reaction

 

[ravenprp]

The reason why strong oxidizers and hydroxide do not react with each other is due to their opposite chemical properties. As mentioned in the content, hydroxide is a strong reducing agent, meaning it has a strong tendency to gain electrons and reduce other substances. On the other hand, strong oxidizers, such as oxyacids, have a strong tendency to lose electrons and oxidize other substances.

In the presence of a strong base like hydroxide, the oxyacid molecules are surrounded by a large concentration of hydroxide ions. These ions act as a shield, preventing the oxyacid molecules from coming into contact with other substances and oxidizing them. This is why, in most cases, oxyacids do not react with hydroxide.

Additionally, the reaction between oxyacids and hydroxide is thermodynamically unfavorable. The formation of a strong base like hydroxide from an oxyacid requires a large input of energy, which makes the reaction highly endothermic. As a result, the reaction between oxyacids and hydroxide is very slow, if it occurs at all.

In conclusion, the strong reducing nature of hydroxide and the strong oxidizing nature of oxyacids make them incompatible with each other. The presence of a strong base like hydroxide prevents oxyacids from reacting with other substances, and the thermodynamics of the reaction also make it unlikely to occur.