PROPERTIES OF DIHYDROGEN

H2
Chemical properties :
• Hydrogen is represented by its symbol ‘H’. However, in nature, it occurs in
its diatomic form as ‘H2‘ known as Dihydrogen
• Hydrogen has no effect on litmus paper, i.e. it is neutral (neither acidic nor
alkaline)
• Dihydrogen is a non-metal
• It is fairly non-reactive in nature. Since dihydrogen is a stable molecule it is
not very reactive
• Dihydrogen has high enthalpy due to its stable H-H bond
• It is an oxidizing agent when reacting with metals. It forms metal hydrides.
• Reacts with unsaturated Hydrocarbon (for example ethene) to form
saturated hydrocarbons
• Reduces metal oxides of metals less reactive than iron (iron included)
Reaction of dihydrogen with :
• Halogens :
It reacts with halogens, X2 to give hydrogen halides, HX.

H2 (g) + X2 (g) 2HX (g)

• While the reaction with fluorine occurs even in the dark, with iodine it
requires a catalyst.
• dioxygen:
It reacts with dioxygen to form water. The reaction is highly exothermic.
catalyst or heating
2H2 (g) + O2 2H2O (l)

• dinitrogen:
With dinitrogen it forms ammonia.
673K, 200atm
3H2 (g) + N2 (g) 2NH3 (g)
Fe

This is the method for the manufacture of ammonia by the Haber process.
• metals:
With many metals it combines at a high temperature to yield the corresponding
hydrides
H2 (g) +2M (g) 2MH (s)
• where M is an alkali metal

• metal ions and metal oxides:

It reduces some metal ions in aqueous solution and oxides of metals (less
reactive than iron) into corresponding metals.
H2 (g) + Pd2+ (aq) Pd (s) + 2H+ (aq)
yH2 (g) + Mx Oy (s) xM (s) + yH2O (l)
• organic compounds:
It reacts with many organic compounds in the presence of catalysts to give useful
hydrogenated products of commercial importance. For example :
(i) Hydrogenation of vegetable oils using nickel as catalyst gives edible fats (margarine
and vanaspati ghee)
(ii) Hydroformylation of olefins yields aldehydes which further undergo reduction to
give alcohols.

H 2 + CO + RCH = CH 2 RCH 2CH 2CHO

H 2 + RCH 2CH 2CHO RCH 2CH 2CH 2OH

*Hydroformylation: is an industrial process for the production of aldehydes from

alkenes.
*olefins: another term for alkene.