Halogens are elements in Group VIIA of the periodic table. They include fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. [1] Halogens share characteristics like having seven electrons in their valence shell, existing as diatomic molecules, and being strong oxidizing agents. [2] They react vigorously with many substances, oxidizing materials and acting as bleaching agents. [3] Chlorine is widely used as a disinfectant and in water treatment, while iodine and bromine have applications in medicine and photography.
Halogens are elements in Group VIIA of the periodic table. They include fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. [1] Halogens share characteristics like having seven electrons in their valence shell, existing as diatomic molecules, and being strong oxidizing agents. [2] They react vigorously with many substances, oxidizing materials and acting as bleaching agents. [3] Chlorine is widely used as a disinfectant and in water treatment, while iodine and bromine have applications in medicine and photography.
Halogens are elements in Group VIIA of the periodic table. They include fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. [1] Halogens share characteristics like having seven electrons in their valence shell, existing as diatomic molecules, and being strong oxidizing agents. [2] They react vigorously with many substances, oxidizing materials and acting as bleaching agents. [3] Chlorine is widely used as a disinfectant and in water treatment, while iodine and bromine have applications in medicine and photography.
Halogens are elements in Group VIIA of the periodic table. They include fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. [1] Halogens share characteristics like having seven electrons in their valence shell, existing as diatomic molecules, and being strong oxidizing agents. [2] They react vigorously with many substances, oxidizing materials and acting as bleaching agents. [3] Chlorine is widely used as a disinfectant and in water treatment, while iodine and bromine have applications in medicine and photography.
The word “halogen” is derived from the greek words “halo” meaning sea salt and “gen” meaning producer. The elements in group VII A (17) of periodic table are called halogens. Elements Symbol Atomic Atomic Electronic configuration Electronegativity number mass Flourine F 9 19 1s22s22p5 4 Chlorine Cl 17 35.5 1s22s22p63s23p5 3 2 2 6 2 6 1 2 5 Bromine Br 35 80 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 04s 4p 2.8 2 2 6 2 6 10 2 5 10 2 5 Iodine I 53 127 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d 5s 5p 2.5
General characteristics of Halogens
1. They have seven electrons in their valence shell i.e. ns2np5. 2. Colour and state: F Cl Br I Colour Light yellow Greenish yellow Reddish brown Bluish black State Gas Gas Liquid Solid
3. Oxidation state Halogens have common oxidation state of -1. Chlorine, bromine and iodine have vacant d-orbitals and hence show oxidation state from +1 to +7. 4. They exist as diatomic molecule containing a single covalent bond (F2, Cl2, Br2, I2). 5. The size of halogens is in the order : F2> Cl2> Br2> I2 6. Halogens are less soluble as their solubility decreases with increase in atomic number. 7. Melting point and boiling point: F Cl Br I M.P. (˚C) -220 -101 --7.2 114 B.P. (˚C) -188 -35 -58.5 184 8. Halogens are less soluble as their solubility decreases with increase in atomic number.
Comparative study on preparation of halogens
1. By oxidation of haloacids (HCl, HBr, HI)
When haloacids(HX) react with oxidising agents like MnO2, KMnO4, K2Cr2O7, KClO3, CaOCl2 etc, halogens(X=CL, Br, I) are obtained.
MnO2 + 4HX MnX2 + 2H2O + X2
2KMnO4 + 16HX 2KX + 2MnX2 + 8H2O + 5X2
K2Cr2O7 + 14HX 2KX + 2CrX3 + 7H2O + 3X2
KClO3 + 6HX KCl + 3H2O + 3X2
2. Laboratory Preparation In the laboratory, NaX is heated with conc. H2SO4 and MnO2 in the R.B flask to obtain halogen except fluorine.
(Task: Write down the reactions for laboratory preparation of each halogen(X=Cl, Br, I) based on the reaction mentioned above.)
Chemical Properties of Halogens
Halogens are the most reactive non-metals.
1. Action with water
Fluorine decomposes H2O even in the dark. 2F2 + 2H2O 4HF + O2
Chlorine and bromine partly decompose H2O in the presence of sunlight forming hypohalous acid, which are unstable. Cl2 + H2O HClO + HCl hypochlorous acid HClO is unstable and is decomposed to give O2 2HClO 2HCl + O2
Br2 + H2O HBrO + HBr
HBrO 2HBr + O2
Iodine doesn’t decompose water at all, but dissolves in aqueous solution of KI. I2 + H2O no reaction I2 + KI KI3
2. Action with alkali
Flourine 2F2 + 2NaOH (cold and dilute) 2NaF + H 2O + OF2 (oxygen diflouride) 2F2 + 4NaOH (hot and conc) 4NaF + 2H2O + O2
Chlorine Cl2 + 2NAOH (cold and dilute) NaCl + H 2O + NaClO (sodium hypochlorite) 3Cl2 + 6NaOH (hot and conc) NaCl + 3H 2O + NaClO3 (sodium hypochlorate)
Bromine Br2 + 2NaOH (cold and dilute) NaBr + H2O + NaBrO (sodium hypobromite) 3Br2 + 6NaOH (hot and conc) 5NaBr+ 3H 2O + NaBrO3 (sodium hypobromate) Iodine I2 + NaOH (cold and dilute) NaI + HIO (hypoiodous) 3I2 + 6NaOH (hot and conc) NaI + 3H 2O + NaIO3 (sodium iodate)
3. Action with ammonia
Ammonia and halogens react to give different products depending up on the concentration of both halogen and ammonia.
(To be continued…..) HALOGENS (Continued……) 4. Oxidizing action Halogens are strong oxidizing agents. They easily provide nascent oxygen with water. X2 + H2O HOX + HX HOX HX + [O]
X2 + H2O 2HX + [O]
a. Mutual displacement Fluorine displaces other halogens from their aqueous salt. F2 + 2NaCl 2NaF + Cl2
Chlorine displaces Br2 and I2 from their salt solution.
Cl2 + 2KBr 2KCl + Br2 Cl2 + 2KI 2KCl + I2
Bromine displaces iodine from iodide salt.
Br2 + 2KI 2KBr + I2
b. H2S is oxidized into free sulphur.
X2 + H2S S + 2HX
c. SO2 is oxidized into H2SO4
X2 + 2H2O + SO2 H2SO4 + 2HX
d. Sodium sulphite is oxidized into sodium sulphate.
X2 + Na2SO3 + H2O Na2SO4 + 2HX
e. Sodium nitrite is oxidized to sodium nitrate.
X2 + NaNO2 + H2O NaNO3 + 2HX
f. Sodium arsenite is oxidized to sodium arsenate.
X2 + Na2AsO3 + H2O Na2AsO4 + 2HX
g. Chlorine oxidizes ferrous salts into ferric salts.
Cl2 + 2FeSO4 + H2SO4 Fe2(SO4)3 + 2HCl
h. Chlorine and bromine oxidize sodium thiosulphate into free sulphur.
CL2 + Na2S2O3 + H2O S + Na2SO4 + 2HCl
(Task: Write down the reaction for bromine oxidizing sodium thiosulphate to free sulphur with reference to the above reaction.)
i. Sodium thiosulphate is oxidized by iodine into sodium tetrathionate. This reaction is used in iodometric reaction. I2 + Na2S2O3 Na2S4O6 + 2NaI sodium tetrathionate 5. Bleaching action The property of halogen which changes coloured compound into colourless is called bleaching. Fluorine cannot be used as a bleaching agent since it destroys the substance due to its highly reactive nature and strong oxidizing action. Iodine has no bleaching property. Bromine is a mild bleaching agent. Chlorine is a strong bleaching agent and it bleaches the colouring materials by oxidizing action causing the bleaching to be permanent. Bleaching action of chlorine is due to the formation of nascent oxygen in the presence of moisture.
Cl2 + H2O 2HCl + [O]
Coloured matter + [O] Colourless matter
Uses of Halogens
Chlorine 1. To purify drinking water. It acts as a disinfectant and germicide due to its powerful oxidizing action. 2. As a bleaching agent for paper, textile etc. 3. In the extraction of noble metal like gold and platinum. 4. In the manufacture of DDT (insecticide), HCl, bleaching powder, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), organic solvents like CCl4, CHCl2 etc. 5. In the manufacture of poisonous gases like phosgene gas (COCl2), tear gas (Cl3C-NO2), mustard gas [(CH2CH2Cl)S].
Bromine 1. To prepare silver bromide used to develop photographic plates and papers. 2. In the manufacture of drugs and dyes. 3. Bromine water is used in the laboratory for the detection of double or triple bond in the given organic compound. 4. As a water treatment in swimming pool.
Iodine 1. To prepare antiseptic drugs like tincture iodine (ethyl alcohol + iodine) and tincture benzene (benzene + iodine). 2. In the manufacture of iodoform (CHI3) which is an antiseptic. 3. NaI and KI are use in the treatment of goitre. 4. In the manufacture of coloured dyes. 5. In the volumetric analysis of sodium thiosulphate.
Test for Cl2, Br2, I2
Chlorine It is greenish yellow coloured gas with suffocating odour. 1. It turns starch iodide paper (dipped into the mixture of KI and starch solution) into blue. Cl + 2KI 2KCl + I2 I2 + starch solution blue colour
2. It decolourises moist litmus paper.
Bromine It is reddish brown liquid with pungent odour. It turns starch iodide paper into blue. Br2 + KI 2KBr + I2 I2 + starch solution blue colour
Iodine It is purple black coloured crystalline solid. It turns starch solution into blue. I2 + starch blue colour
