Acidic oxide
Type of oxide
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Through Hydroxide, Organic compound and Carbon dioxide
The acidity of an oxide can be reasonably assumed by its accompanying constituents. Less electronegative elements tend to form basic oxides such as sodium oxide and magnesium oxide, whereas more electronegative elements tend to produce acidic oxides such as carbon dioxide and phosphorus pentoxide. Some oxides, like aluminium oxides, are amphoteric, while some oxides may be neutral.
Acidic oxides are of environmental concern. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides are considered air pollutants as they react with atmospheric water vapour to produce acid rain.
Examples
Carbonic acid is an illustrative example of the Lewis acidity of an acidic oxide.
- CO2 + 2OH− ⇌ HCO3− + OH− ⇌ CO32− + H2O
This property is a key reason for keeping alkali chemicals well sealed from the atmosphere, as long-term exposure to carbon dioxide in the air can degrade the material.
- Carbon dioxide is also the anhydride of carbonic acid:
- H2CO3 → H2O + CO2
- Chromium trioxide, which reacts with water forming chromic acid:
- CrO3 + H2O → H2CrO4
- Dinitrogen pentoxide, which reacts with water forming nitric acid:
- N2O5 + H2O → 2 HNO3
- Manganese heptoxide, which reacts with water forming permanganic acid:
- Mn2O7 + H2O → 2 HMnO4
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Further examples
Aluminium oxide
Aluminium oxide (Al2O3) is an amphoteric oxide; it can act as a base or acid. For example, with base different aluminate salts will be formed:
- Al2O3 + 2 NaOH + 3 H2O → 2 NaAl(OH)4
Silicon dioxide
Silicon dioxide is an acidic oxide. It will react with strong bases to form silicate salts.
Silicon dioxide is the anhydride of silicic acid:
- H4SiO4 → 2 H2O + SiO2
Phosphorus oxides
Phosphorus(III) oxide reacts to form phosphorous acid in water:
- P4O6 + 6 H2O → 4 H3PO3
Phosphorus(V) oxide reacts with water to give phosphoric acid:
- P4O10 + 6 H2O → 4 H3PO4
Sulfur oxides
Sulfur dioxide reacts with water to form the weak acid, sulfurous acid:
- SO2 + H2O → H2SO3
Sulfur trioxide forms the strong acid sulfuric acid with water:
- SO3 + H2O → H2SO4
This reaction is important in the manufacturing of sulfuric acid.
Chlorine oxides
Chlorine(I) oxide reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid, a very weak acid:
- Cl2O + H2O ⇌ 2 HOCl
Chlorine(VII) oxide reacts with water to form perchloric acid, a strong acid:
- Cl2O7 + H2O → 2 HClO4
Iron oxides
Iron(II) oxide is the anhydride of the aqueous ferrous ion:
- [Fe(H2O)6]2+ → FeO + 2 H+ + 5 H2O
Chromium oxides
Chromium trioxide is the anhydride of chromic acid:
- H2CrO4 → H2O + CrO3
Vanadium oxides
Vanadium trioxide is the anhydride of vanadous acid:
- 2H3VO3 → 3H2O + V2O3
Vanadium pentoxide is the anhydride of vanadic acid:
- 2H3VO4 → 3H2O + V2O5