CM1111 Inorganic Chemistry 1

AY 2012/2013 S1

Group Tutorial 6
Question 1
Arrange the Brnsted acidity of the following compounds and ions in water in increasing order.
Mg2+, Li+, H2CO3 (carbonic acid), CF3CO2H (trifluoroacetic acid)

Question 2
Estimate the first pKb value of [PO4]3-.

Question 3
Classify the following species into hard soft acid bases
NCS-, SCN-, H2Se, Os(VI), SO42-

Question 4
(1)

Which of the following compounds will form more stable complex with NMe3?
B(tBu)3 or B(Me)3 (tBu = tertiary butyl group, C(CH3)3)

(2)

Which members of the following pairs would you expect to be more stable?
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

PtCl42- or PtF42Fe(H2O)63+ or Fe(PH3)63+

F3B(THF) or H3B(THF)

THF =
tetrahydrof uran

CM1111 Inorganic Chemistry 1

AY 2012/2013 S1
Question 5
In qualitative analysis of inorganic compounds, metal ions are divided into several groups. In Group
2 are Hg2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Sn2+ and in Group 3 are Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+. One way to distinguish
the two groups of ions is to bubble H2S in the solutions containing the ions. The Group 2 ions will
form precipitates in acidic condition while the Group 3 will not. On the other hand, the Group 3
ions will form precipitate in basic solutions. Explain the different behaviors of the Groups 2 and 3
ions.