Oxidation reduction

Dr.S.Alexandar,M.Pharm,Ph.D,
Associate Professor
Vinayaka Missions College of Pharmacy,
Yercaud main road,
Kondappanaickanpatty,
Salem, Tamilnadu,
Pin:636008
Loss of electrons
(Gain of oxygen)

Gain of electrons
(Loss of oxygen)
“LEO the lion goes GER.”
Losing Electrons is Oxidation
Gaining Electrons is Reduction
 Fruits and Vegetables oxidised when left in open
air
◦ Solution: Seal in plastic wrap
◦ More radical: Add lemon juice to the cut fruit
 People!
 Oxidation of nutrients causes increased activity of
cells, leading to aging skin
◦ Solution: Beauty products?
 Redox – reduction + oxidation
 Both processes occur simultaneously
 Hence, one species is oxidised, another is

reduced
 So, what is oxidation, and what is reduction?
 3 different versions of the definition:
 Oxidation Reduction

gain in oxygen loss of oxygen

loss of hydrogen gain in hydrogen

loss of electrons gain of electrons

 In terms of Oxygen:
◦ Oxidation: Gain of oxygen in a species
 E.g. Mg is oxidized to MgO

◦ Reduction: Loss of oxygen in a species

 E.g. H2O is reduced to H2

◦ Note: It’s the gain or loss of O, not O2-

 In terms of Hydrogen:
◦ Oxidation: Loss of hydrogen in a species
 E.g. H2O is oxidised to O2

◦ Reduction: Gain of hydrogen in a species

 E.g. O2 is reduced to H2O2

◦ Note: It’s the gain or loss of H, not H+

 In terms of Electrons (OIL RIG: Oxidation Is Loss,
Reduction Is Gain):
◦ Oxidation: Loss of electrons in a species
 E.g. Mg is oxidized to MgO (Mg from 12 electrons to 10
electrons in Mg2+)

◦ Reduction: Gain of electrons in a species

 E.g. O2 is reduced to H2O2 (O from 8 electrons to 9 electrons
per O in O22-)
 An oxidising agent is a chemical species that
causes the other reactant in a redox reaction to be
oxidised, and it is always reduced in the process.
 A reducing agent is a chemical species that

causes the other reactant in a redox reaction to be

reduced, and it is always oxidised in the process.
The substance that donates electrons in a
redox reaction is the REDUCING AGENT
 

The substance that takes electrons in a

redox reaction is the OXIDIZING AGENT

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Oxidation is… Reduction is…

–the loss of electrons –the gain of electrons

–an increase in oxidation –a decrease in oxidation

state state

–the addition of oxygen –the loss of oxygen

–the loss of hydrogen –the addition of hydrogen

MgO + H2 → Mg + H2O
2 Mg + O2 → 2 MgO

notice the Mg2+ in MgO is gaining

notice the magnesium is losing electrons
electrons

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1. Reaction of reduction oxidation based on releasing (lossing) and
gaining of oxygen

a. Oxidation reaction
Oxidation reaction is a reaction of gaining (capturing) of oxygen
by a substance
Example :
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) CO2(g) + 2H2Og)
P4(s) + 5O2(g) 2P2O5(s)

b. Reduction reaction
Reduction reaction is a reaction of releasing (lossing) of oxygen
from a oxide compound
Example:
CuO(s) + H2(g) Cu(s) + H2O(g)
Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) 2Fe(s) + 3CO2(g)
a. Oxidation reaction
Oxidation reaction is a reaction of electron releasing (lossing) from a
substance.
Example:
Na Na+ + e−
Mg Mg2+ + 2 e−
Cu Cu2+ + 2 e−

b. Reduction reaction
Reduction reaction is a reaction of electron gaining by a substance.
Example:

Cl2 + 2e− 2Cl −

S + 2 e− S2−
Oxidizing Agent (Oxidant) and Reducing Agent (Reductant)
The reactants that involve in a redox reaction can be differentiated
into two kinds, that is oxidizing agent (oxidant) and reducing agent
(reductant)
Oxidizing agent (oxidant)
Oxidizing agent is:
 a reactant that oxidizes other reactant
 a reactant that can gain electron
 a reactant that in a reaction undergoes reduction
 a reactant that in a reaction undergoes decreasing in oxidation

number
Examples:
Halogen, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2
Oxygen, O2
 Cl2(g)) + 2 e- Cl-(aq
0 (-1) x 2

(o. n. of Cl decreases 0 to -1)

(reduction)

Cl2 is oxidizing agent (oxidant),

because in that reaction Cl2 undergoes reduction or
decreasing in oxidation number , from 0 to -1
•Reducing agent (reductant)
Reducing agent is:
 a substance (reactant) that reduces other substances (reactants)
 a substance (reactant) that can loss electron
 a substance (reactant) that in the reaction undergoes oxidation
 a substance (reactant) that undergoes increasing in oxidation
number
Example:
Hydrogen, H2
Ion halides; F-, Cl-, Br-, I-
metals
 H2(g) 2 H+(aq) + 2 e-
0 (+1) x 2
(oxidation)
o. n. of H increases from 0 to +1

H2 is reducing agent (reductant),

because in that reaction H2 undergoes oxidation or increasing in
oxidation number, from 0 to +1
Reagents used in redox titration
Oxidizing agents
1) Potassium permanganate KMnO4 : Permanganometry
2) Ceric sulfate / Ceric ammonium sulfate Ce(SO4)2·2(NH4)2SO4· 4H2O :
Cerimetry
3) Potassium dichromate K2Cr2O7 : Dichrometry
4) Iodine I2 : Iodimetry, Iodometry
5) Potassium iodate KIO3 : Iodatimetry
6) Potassium bromate KBrO3 : Bromatimetry
 Oxygen!
◦ Oxidized coal in electric power
◦ Gas in automobiles
◦ Wood in campfires
◦ Food we eat
 Antiseptics
◦ Hydrogen Peroxide
◦ Benzoyl peroxide
 Disinfectants
◦ Chlorine
Reagents used in redox titration
Reducing agents
1) ammonium iron(II) sulfate hexahydrate (Mohr’s salt) FeSO4(NH4)2SO4·
6H2O
2) iron(II) ethylene diamine sulfate (Oesper’s salt) FeC2H4(NH3)2(SO4)2· 4H2O
3) Sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate Na2S2O3·5H2O
4) Arsenic trioxide: arsenious oxide As2O3
5) Sodium oxalate and oxalic acid dihydarte Na2(COO)2 , (COOH)2·2H2O
 Metals
 Antioxidants

◦ Ascorbic acid is used to prevent the browning of fruits by

inhibiting air oxidation
◦ Many antioxidants are believed to retard various
oxidation reactions that are potentially damaging to vital
components of living cells
 REDOX reactions are important in
…
C3H8O + CrO3 + H2SO4 → Cr2(SO4)3
• Purifying metals + C3H6O + H2O

(e.g. Al, Na, Li)

• Producing gases
(e.g. Cl2, O2, H2)
• Electroplating metals
 Electrical production (batteries, fuel cells)
• Protecting metals from corrosion
• Balancing complex chemical equations
• Sensors and machines (e.g. pH meter)
 An oxidation number is a positive or negative number
assigned to an atom to indicate its degree of oxidation
or reduction.

As a general rule, a bonded atom’s oxidation # is the

charge that it would have if the electrons
in the bond were assigned to the atom of
the more electronegative element .
 CuO  Na2SO4
Oxygen is -2 ◦ Na is +1 because it is
The oxidation number a group 1 metal
of copper must be ◦ O is -2
calculated ◦ The oxidation number
of Sulfur must be
X + -2 = 0
calculated
X = +2 2(+1) + X + 4(-2) = 0
(2 ) + X + (-8) =0
X = +6
J Deutsch 2003 27
 NO3-  PO43-
Oxygen is 2- Oxygen is 2-
The oxidation number The oxidation number of
of nitrogen must be phosphorous must be
calculated calculated
X + 3(-2) = -1 X + 4(-2) = -3
X = 5+ X + (-8) = -3
X = +5
J Deutsch 2003 28
20.5 Balancing Redox Equations

There are two methods used to balance

redox reactions

1)the oxidation number change

method

2)the half reaction method

29
 Using the oxidation-number change method
 Fe2O3(s) + CO(g) → Fe(s) + CO2(g) (unbalanced)
 Step 1 – assign oxidation #s to all the atoms in the equation.
 Step 2 – ID atoms oxidized and reduced.

 Step 3 – Use one bracketing line to connect the atoms that

undergo oxidation & another to connect reduced.

 Step 4 – Make the total increase in oxidation # equal to the

total decrease in oxidation # by using appropriate coefficients.
There are two kinds of electro chemical cells, galvanic or
electrolytic.

In galvanic cells, the chemical reaction occurs spontaneously

to produce electrical energy.

In a electrolytic cell, electrical energy is used to force the non

spontaneous chemical reaction.
If a solution containing Fe2+ is mixed with another solution
containing Ce4+, there will be a redox reaction situation due to their
tendency of transfer electrons. If we consider that these two
solution are kept in separate beaker and connected by salt bridge
and a platinum wire that will become a galvanic cell. If we connect
a voltmeter between two electrode, the potential difference of two
electrode can be directly measured.

The Fe2+ is being oxidised at the platinum wire (the anode):

Fe 2+ → Fe 3+ + e -

The electron thus produced will flow through the wire to the other
beaker where the Ce4+ is reduced (at the cathode).

Ce 4+ + e - → Ce 3+
 e- e-
e - e-

Anode Cathode

e- e-
Reducing Oxidizing
Agent Agent
 Oxidizing agent pulls the electron.
 Reducing agent pushes the electron.

 The push or pull (“driving force”) is called the cell

potential Ecell
 Also called the electromotive force (emf)
 Unit is the volt(V)

 = 1 joule of work/coulomb of charge

 Measured with a voltmeter

 Quantitative Classical Chemical Analysis

Gravimetry Titrations

Acid-base Precipitation Complexometric Redox

 Quantitative Classical Chemical Analysis

Gravimetry Titrations

Acid-base Precipitation Complexometric Redox

Titrations involving iodine (I2)

Dichromatometric
Permanganimetric

Iodimetry

Iodometry

Iodometric titration of copper

 Titration Analyte Titrant Indicator
example

Acid-base Quantification of
acetic acid in
Acetic acid
(CH3COOH)
NaOH (sodium
hydroxide)
Phenolphthalein

avinegar

Complexometric Water Hardness

(Calcium and
Calcium and
magnesium (Ca 2+
,
EDTA Eriochrome black
T
magnesium) Mg 2+) Murexide

Precipitation Quantification of
chloride (Cl-) in
Chlordie AgNO3 (silver Mohr, Volhard,
nitrate) Fajans
water

Redox Quantification of
hydrogen
Hydrogen peroxide
(H2O2)
KMnO4 (potassium No indicator
permanganate)
peroxide (H2O2)
Titrations:

 Direct Titrations
 Indirect Titrations

 Back Titrations

 Iodometry
Titrations Example Type of reaction

Acid-base Quantification of acetic

□ Direct Titration □ Indirect Titration □ Back
acid in vinegar
Titration

Complexo Water Hardness (Calcium

metric and magnesium) □ Direct Titration □ Indirect Titration □ Back
Titration

Precipitation Quantification Mohr

□ Direct Titration □ Indirect Titration □ Back
of Cl in Water Method
Titration

Fajans
□ Direct Titration □ Indirect Titration □ Back
Method
Titration

Volhard
□ Direct Titration □ Indirect Titration □ Back
Method
Titration

Redox Quantification of hydrogen

peroxide (H2O2) □ Direct Titration □ Indirect Titration □ Back
Titration
There are a lot of redox titrations classified according to
the titrant used.

1) Permanganimetric: Titrant KMnO4

2) Dichromatometric: Titrant K2Cr2O7

3) Titrations involving iodine (I2)

•Iodimetry
•Iodometry

Titrations that create or consume I2 are widely used in

quantitative analysis.
When a reducing analyte is titrated with iodine (the titrant), the method is called iodimetry.

Example: Quantification of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

C6H8O6 + I2 → CçH6O6 + 2I- + 2H+

Iodine rapidly oxidizes ascorbic acid, C6H8O6 , to produce

dehydroascorbic acid, C6H6O6 .

Ascorbic acid Dehydroascorbic acid

Pictures taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org

 Iodometry is the titration of iodine (I2) produced when an oxidizing
analyte is added to excess I-(iodide).

Then the iodine (I2) is usually titrated with standard thiosulfate

solution.

Iodometry: Not a direct titration because there are 2 reactions:

analyte + I- → I2
unknown

I2 + titrant (standard thiosulfate) → product

Known
Iodimetric titrations:
a) A reducing analyte
b) One reaction
c) Standard solution: Iodine (I2)

Iodometric titrations:
a) An oxidizing analyte
b) Two reactions
c) Standard solution: Sodium thisoufate
Analytical applications:
Iodimetric titrations:
Species analyzed (reducing analytes)
SO2 , H2S, Zn2+ , Cd2+ , Hg2+ , Pb2+
Cysteine, glutathione, mercaptoethanol
Glucose (and other reducing sugars)

Iodometric titrations:
Species analyzed (oxidizing analytes)
HOCl ,Br2, IO3- , IO4- , O2, H2O2, O3
NO2- , Cu 2+
MnO4-, MnO2
 Direct Indirect
Iodimetric method Iodometric method

Iodine for I- is added to oxidizing

Titrating agent
determination of agents,the librated I2
reducing agents is titr. with Na2S2O3

Added at the beginning of Added near the

Indicator
titr. end of titr (when the brown color
(Starch)
of I2 becomes pale)

Type of reaction One step reaction Two step reactions

Standard solution Standard solution: Iodine Standard solution: Sodium

(I2) thisoufate

E.P. permanent blue disappearance of

color blue color
 Iodine as oxidant

Iodine Na2S2O3 Na2S2O3

oxidant
Reductant
+
+ starch
KI→I2

.
E.P Add starch

Colorless E.P.