A colourful oscillating reaction
Demonstration or Class practical
Acidified sodium (or potassium)
bromate and bromide solutions are mixed, then propanedioic (malonic) acid,
ferroin indicator and a surface active agent added. The mixture exhibits
patterns of oscillation from red to blue over a period of several
minutes. It provides an illustration of how a series of interconnected redox
equilibria and their rates can lead to a repeating cycle of
reactions, made visible by the inclusion of a suitable redox indicator.
Lesson organisation
The experiment provides an interesting and colourful demonstration, but
the reactions involved and the mechanism are complex – see Teaching Notes. The
reaction can be carried out as a demonstration (especially for open days or
chemistry clubs), or as a class exercise.
Time required should be about 10 min.
Chemicals
Sodium bromate(V) (TOXIC, OXIDISING), 5 g (enough for 10 experiments) or
potassium bromate(V) (TOXIC, OXIDISING), 5.5 g
Sodium bromide, 1 g or potassium bromide, 1.2 g
Concentrated sulfuric acid (CORROSIVE), 2 cm3
Propanedioic (malonic) acid (HARMFUL), 1 g
Ferroin indicator solution, 1 cm3
‘Photoflo’ solution, 1 drop (Note 1)
Distilled or deionised water, about 100 cm3
Apparatus
For one demonstration or each pair of students:
Eye protection (Goggles when preparing Solution A - Note
2)
Beakers (100 cm3), 4
Petri dish
Measuring cylinder (10 cm3)
Plastic syringes (1 or 2 cm3), 3
Dropping pipette
Health & Safety and Technical notes
Sodium bromate(V), NaBrO3(s) or potassium bromate(V), KBrO3(s),
(TOXIC, OXIDISING) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Concentrated sulfuric acid, H2SO4(l), (CORROSIVE)
- see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Sodium bromide, NaBr(s), or potassium bromide, KBr(s) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Propanedioic (malonic) acid, HOOCCH2COOH(s), (HARMFUL) - see
CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Ferroin indicator - see CLEAPSS Hazcard and CLEAPSS Recipe
Book.
1 'Photoflo’ solution - can be found at any photography shop. It is a
surface-active agent used in photographic developing and printing.
2 In advance of the demonstration, prepare the following solutions in
small beakers:
Solution A: dissolve 5 g of sodium bromate(V) (or 5.5 g of potassium bromate(V))
and 2 cm3 of concentrated sulfuric acid in 67 cm3 of distilled or deionised water.
Solution B: dissolve 1 g of sodium bromide (or 1.2 g of potassium bromide) in 10
cm3 of distilled or deionised water.
Solution C: dissolve 1 g of propanedioic acid in 10 cm3
of distilled or deionised water.
Procedure
a Place 6 cm3 of Solution A in a small
beaker, using a measuring cylinder.
b Add 0.5 cm3 of Solution B, using a
syringe.
c Add 1.0 cm3 of Solution C, using a
syringe. A brown colour appears. When this disappears, add 1.0 cm3 of ferroin solution, using a syringe.
d Add 1 drop of 'Photoflo' (or equivalent) solution, using a dropping
pipette.
e Swirl to mix well and pour enough of the mixture in to the Petri dish
to half-fill it. Wait for the oscillations to begin.
Teaching notes
This a version of the classic Belousov-Zhabotinksy oscillating reaction.
Its detailed mechanism is very complicated – see references or weblink below.
Suffice it to say here that bromate and bromide ions first react with
propanedioic acid to produce a bromopropanedioate. Bromate also oxidises the
iron(II) in the red ferroin indicator to produce a blue iron(III) species. The
bromopropanedioate and the blue species then react to form bromide. Bromide
inhibits the reaction of the red iron(II) species to form the blue iron(III)
species and so a red colour re-appears.
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