Question

CaC₂ $\stackrel{\mathrm{Hydrolysis}}{\to }$ A $\stackrel{{\mathrm{HgSO}}_{4_{}}+\mathrm{Dil}{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }$ B

Identify A and B.

Answer 1

Hydrolysis of calcium carbide CaC₂ leads to the formation of acetylene.

${\mathrm{CaC}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{Hydrolysis}}{\to }{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$

When acetylene is reacted with the mixture of HgSO₄ + Dil H₂SO₄, It leads to the formation of acetaldehyde $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\right)$.

Therefore,

${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_2\stackrel{}{\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{{\mathrm{HgSO}}_4+\mathrm{Dil}.{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }}{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$

The whole reaction can be written in this way

${\mathrm{CaC}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{Hydrolysis}}{\to }{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_2\stackrel{}{\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{HgSO}+\mathrm{Dil}.{\mathrm{HSO}}_4}{\to }}{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$

Therefore, Compound A is C₂H₂ (acetylene) and Compound B is acetaldehyde i.e ., ${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}$.