Question

The reducing agent in this catalytic hydrogenation reaction was molecular hydrogen (H2), which was produced in situ (in the reaction mixture) during the course of the reaction. a) During the course of the experiment, how did you know that H2 had been formed? b) Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction that produced H2. c) Was H2 the limiting reactant? Why or why not? Show the necessary calculations to support your answer.

Answer 1

Answer:

a)  After the balloon inflated after 440 uL of dropwise due to the reaction of 1-Decene and the solution in the conical vial. b) $4NaBH_{4} + 2HCl + 7H_{2}O$ ⇒ 16$H_{2(g)}+ 2NaCl + Na_{2}B_{4}O_{7}$ c) No $H_{2}$ was not the limiting reactant.

Explanation:

Generally, hydrogenation is the chemical reaction between a compound or element and molecular hydrogen in the presence of catalysts such as platinum.

a) After the balloon inflated after 440 uL of dropwise 1-Decene solution was added due to the reaction between 1-Decene and the solution in the conical vial.

b)  $4NaBH_{4} + 2HCl + 7H_{2}O$ ⇒ 16$H_{2(g)}+ 2NaCl + Na_{2}B_{4}O_{7}$

c) $H_{2}$ was not the limiting reactant based on the mol to mol ratio of $H_{2}$ and decane which is 1:1. Therefore, if 0.8 mol of decane was produced then 0.8 mol of $H_{2}$ would also be produced.