Nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxides reactions
Nitrogen has different oxides because nitrogen has different oxidation numbers.
Usually nitrogen has oxidation numbers from -3 to +5.
But oxidation number of nitrogen in oxides of nitrogen varies from +1 to +5 because nitrogen's electronegativity is
less than oxygen.
Oxides of nitrogen
Nitrous oxide - N2O
Nitric oxide - NO
dinitrogen trioxide - N2O3
nitrogen dioxide - NO2
dinitrogen tetroxide - N2O4
dinitrogen pentoxide - N2O5
Oxidation numbers of oxides of nitrogen
Nitrous oxide (N2O) : +1
Nitric oxide (NO) : +2
dinitrogen trioxide (N2O3) : +3
nitrogen dioxide (NO2) : +4
dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) : +4
dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) : +5
Electronegativity of oxygen(3.5) is higher than nitrogen(3.0). So electrons in the bond between oxygen and nitrogen is attracted towards oxygen atoms. Therefore O is polarized as negatively and nitrogen is positive. When number of O atoms increases oxidation number of N atom increases. When oxidation number increases, acidic characteristics also increases.
Phenomenons of nitogen oxides formation
Nitrogen oxides is formed when oxygen reacts with nitrogen in air at the high temperatures inside an automobile engine. This is called thermal nitric oxide. Also nitrogen oxides can be formed due to lightning in the sky.
Nitrous oxide / dinitrogen monoxide / nitrogen(i) oxide / N2O
Oxidation number of nitrogen is +1. Nitrous oxide is relatively soluble in water. Nitrous oxide is used as an anesthetic (laughing gas). It has a linear structure.
Resonance structures of nitrogen(i) oxide
Three resonance structures can be drawn for nitrous oxide.
Properties of Nitrous oxide|nitrogen(i) oxide
- relatively soluble in water
- A neutral gas
- A supporter of combustion ( release O2 when heat )
Preparing nitrous oxide|N2O
Heat ammonium nitrate ( NH4NO3 )
Nitrous oxide (N2O) and water forms as the products.
Heat mixture of sodium nitrate( NaNO3 ) and ammonium chloride( NH4Cl )
NaNO3 and NH4Cl will give NH4NO3. When heat the mixture, N2O forms.
Nitric oxide / nitrogen(ii) oxide / nitrogen monoxide / NO
Nitric oxide is prepared in Ostwald process which produce nitric acid industrially. Oxidation number of
N in nitrogen(ii) oxide is +2. NO is easily oxidized into NO2. Nitric oxide is linear molecule.
2NO + O2 → 2NO2
nitric oxide and oxygen reaction
NO reacts with O2 and becomes NO2 easily.
Properties of nitric oxide
- A neutral gas
- Colourles
Preparing nitric oxide|NO
Following reactions can be used to produce nitric oxide in the laboratory.
Copper and dilute nitric acid reaction
Copper and dilute nitric acid reaction give nitric oxide(NO), copper nitrate( Cu(NO3)2), and water as products.
Decomposition of nitrous acid
At low temperature, slow decomposition of nitrous acid gives nitric acid and nitric oxide(NO)
Nitric oxide formation in nitric acid manufacturing(ostwald process)
Ammonia(NH3) gas and oxygen(O2) are used as raw materials to manufacture nitric(HNO3)
gas industrially. In the first step of nitric acid manufacturing, nitric oxide(NO) is formed by reaction of NH3 and O2 in 850 - 10000C
temperature. That mixture(NH3 and O2 ) is sent through Pt/Rh catalyst. Then exothermic reactions happens and produces
NO and H2O . Due to exothermic reaction, reaction happens easily after it was started.
4NH3(g) + 5O2(g) → 4NO + 6H2O(g) +
ΔH
dinitrogen trioxide|nitrogen(iii) oxide|N2O3 preparing and reactions
Dinitrogen trioxide can behave as a 1:1 mixture of NO and NO 2 . In the gas phase, N2O3 dissociates to give NO and NO2. At 20 to 300C the reverse reaction can be used to prepare N2O3.
Properties of dinitrogen trioxide
- Weak acidic
dinitrogen trioxide and water reaction
N2O3 reacts with water and produce nitrous (HNO2) acid solution.
Preparing nitrous oxide|N2O3
nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide reaction
Mix nitric oxide (NO(g) ) gas and nitrogen dioxide (NO2(g)) gas. Cool the mixture. N2O3forms.
Hybridisation of N2O3
Both nitrogen atoms have sp2 hybridisation.
- One nitrogen atom has three sigma bonds without lone pairs (sp2).
- Other nitrogen atom has two sigma boonds and one lone pair (sp2).
nitrogen dioxide / nitrogen(iv) oxide / NO2
Nitrogen dioxide molecule is bent shape. NO2 is an acidic, brown, and a very toxic gas. Brown colour of NO2 gas can be seen in high traffic cities(this incident is defined as photochemical smog).
Nitrogen dioxide and water reaction
Nitrogen dioxide and water reacts and produce nitrous (HNO2) nitric (HNO3) acids. This is a one of main step in nittric acid manufacturing(ostwald method)
Prepare nitrogen dioxide
Hot concentrated nitric acid and copper reaction
Add hot concentrated nitric (HNO3) acid into copper. NO2, Cu(NO3)2 and water are given as products.
Decomposition of nitric acid
When nitric acid is heated or exposed to the sun light it turns yellow owing to it's decomposition . The yellow colour observed in bottles of nitric acid is due to the formation of nitrogen dioxide(NO2).
dinitrogen tetroxide/ N2O4
An acidic , colourless gas.
dinitrogen tetroxide and water reaction
Reacts with water and produce nitrous (HNO2) nitric (HNO3 ) acid
Prepare dinitrogen tetroxide|N2O4
Prepare dinitrogen trioxide from nitrogen dioxide
>Cool NO2 gas, and pressurize it. Then NO2 becomes into N2O4
dinitrogen pentoxide|N2O5
Dinitrogen dioxide is a white solid which sublimes at 320C. N2O5 is a good oxidizing agent because the oxidation state of nitrogen in this oxide being +5. It is Anhydrate of nitiric acid.
dinitrogen pentoxide and water reaction
Reacts with water and produce nitric (HNO3 ) acid.
Prepare dinitrogen pentoxide/ N2O5
Dehydration at low temperatures
Dinitrogen pentaoxides can be prepared by dehydration at low temperatures
Effect of nitrogen oxides to the environment
Nitric oxide(NO) and nitrogen dioxide has a very large effect on photochemical smog. Oxides of nitrogen include in automobile exhaust and emits to the environment. NO reacts with O2 to form nitrogen dioxide(NO2). a yellowish brown gas. Again NO2 absorbs energy from sunlight and breaks up into nitric oxide(NO) and free reactive oxygen atom. These free oxygen atoms are very reactive and causes to form a large number of free organic radicals. This organic free radicals results into a number of chain reactions producing many undesirable compounds such a formaldehyde, acrolein, organic peroxide, organic hydroperoxides, peroxyacyl nitrates.
Effect of nitrogen dioxide to acid rain
NO2 reacts with water and forms HNO3 acid which comes down as the acid rain.
Is nitrogen dioxide a neutral gas?
No. Nitrogen dioxide(NO2) dissolves in water and react with water to give nitric acid(HNO3) which is a strong acid. But N2O and NO are neutral gases.
Acidic properties of oxides of nitrogen
Questions of oxides of nitrogen
Have a Question? Ask your question now.Is nitrogen dioxide a neutral gas?
No. Nitrogen dioxide(NO2) dissolves in water and react with water to give nitric acid(HNO3) and nitrous acid(HNO2). HNO3 is a strong acid. But N2O and NO are neutral gases.
What is the reaction between nitrous oxide and nitric oxide
There is no details in the literature about reaction between nitrous oxide and nitric oxide.
More learn about nitrogen oxides releasing reactions
NO2 releasing
Lead and nitric acid reaction
Lead(Pb) and dilute nitric acid react to form Pb(NO3)2, NO2 and water.
Hot concentrated nitric acid and carbon reaction
Carbon(C) and hot concentrated HNO3 acid react to give CO2, NO2, H2O.
Hot concentrated nitric acid and sulfur reaction
Sulfur(S) and hot concentrated HNO3 acid react to give H2SO4, NO2, H2O.
Nitric acid and phosphorus reaction
Phosphorus(P) and HNO3 acid react to give H3PO4, NO2, H2O.
NO releasing
Nitric acid and silver metal reaction
Ag react with HNO3 acid to give AgNO3, NO2 and H2O.
Nitric acid and hydrogen sulfide(H2S) reaction
S and NO are given as the products by the reaction of H2S and HNO3.
Questions asked by students
Is nitric oxide more electronegative?
Electronegativity is increased when s orbit characteristics are increased. Therefore an atom with sp orbital hybridisation has a higher electronegativity than sp2 orbital hybridisation.
Can extra oxygen dilute nitric oxide?
What this question mean? Questions is wrong and not clear to give an answer.
Related Tutorials
Oxidation Numbers of Elements in Periodic Table Formation of Photochemical Smog and Effects
Ammonia and chlorine reaction
